What Dreams May Come
by extra-ter2estrial
Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to? JOTT; Post Ascension, Phoenix Saga; Chap 15
1. Chapter One

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: There will not be mentions of the Shi'ar and aliens and stuff. That's Chris Claremont's story, not mine. This is based on my personal interpretation of the "glimpses" into the future at the end of "Ascension". I'll try my best to incorporate all the scenes as a challenge.

***

Chapter One

_            It was a blind corner. Cars that sped around that corner would not be able to see them. If only they had listened, none of this would have happened._

_            "Annie, catch!" A bubbly little red-headed girl tossed the frisbee high into the summer skies._

_            "Got it! Heads up Jean!" Her companion with chestnut curls returned the frisbee._

_            "Girls, it's a little windy today, don't throw the frisbee too hard. What did I warn you about that blind corner?" The redhead's mother called from the doorstep._

_            "Yes Mum."_

_            "Don't worry Mrs Grey, we promise to be careful."_

_            "I'll go see if dinner is ready." The woman walked back into the house._

_            And the girls played on._

_            "Here!" The redhead released the frisbee from her fingertips. It went spinning through the air like a hovering UFO. Her friend's eyes were fixed onto the frisbee as it came flying towards her. She got on her toes and leapt. Her arms outstretched as she reached for the frisbee. But this time, it slipped from her grasp as a gust of wind carried the frisbee over the white picket fence and onto the road. The girl fell, sprawled on the ground. In a split second, she picked herself up and brushed dirt and grass off her clothes._

_            The redhead made a dash for the frisbee, now lying on the road, but the other girl sped towards it quicker. "I'll get it Jean!"_

_            "Annie! Be careful!" The redhead called._

            "Annie! Be careful!" In the dark of the bedroom, the silhouette of a female figure tossed in her sleep. "Annie..." Faint mumbles followed.

            _"Annie..."_

_            "Don't worry Jean, I've got it!" The girl picked up the object and waved to the redhead, who was running towards her. The girl smiled, her back to the blind corner. She turned her head into a sudden burst of yellow light. Her eyes slowly widened as she realised the source, but her body was momentarily stunned. What followed was sound of the vehicle's horn, followed by a deafening screech, and a piercing scream of roughly the same frequency._

_            What the redhead witnessed next was flashed by her like it was in slow motion. The car hit the girl head on as she was trying to get up from her crouched position. She was flung across the straight stretch of the road, landing a good few metres away. Like a rag doll, she flew the course of a parabola, and crashed head-first upon impact. The momentum flipped her body over, pivoted by her head, and slammed her body down, before skidding slightly to a halt. _

_            "No...no...Annie..."_

            "Annie..."

            _"Annie!" The redhead started to sprint in the girl's direction. She cradled her dying friend in her arms, kneeling in the pool of her friend's blood. She was bleeding so much, and it just kept flowing profusely, from her mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and deep cuts on her forehead and arms. Her neck was possibly broken, and maybe even her ribs, legs and arms. __"Annie!" The redhead started to panic, hugging her friend closer to her. People began to gather round, but the crowd was a haze. They were just standing there, whispering. Yes, her mother was there too, and so was her friend's mother. They were staring. They were all staring. Call an ambulance..._

            "Please, someone call an ambulance!" Beads of sweat formed on the forehead of the sleeping figure as she fidgeted, rolling over once more, getting tangled in her blankets.

            _"Call an ambulance!" The redhead screamed. Someone finally darted off in the direction of her house._

_            "Hold on Annie..."_

_            "Jee...an...I...caa...nn't...breee...atheee..." The girl rasped and clung onto the redhead, her grip strong._

_            "Shh...it's gonna be okay...you're gonna be alright...they're coming...they're..." Suddenly, the redhead felt like a tremendous migraine had hit her. She saw white light flash before her eyes. The voices of the crowd grew louder and louder. She began to feel dizzy._

_            What happened? Good lord, the girl's bleeding to death? Why isn't someone calling for help? Why isn't anyone doing anything?_

_            "Jean? Jean?" She heard her mother's voice. Then everything went black, and cold, and quiet. _

_            Except for a single ray of light shining from above. Beneath the light sat the girl with the chestnut curls._

_            "Annie?"_

_            "Jean! Come here, I want to show you something."_

"Annie?"

            _"Annie, it is you!"_

_            "Of course it's me silly."_

_            The girl held out a hand and the redhead took it. They talked for awhile._

_            "Do you see her?"_

_            "See who?"_

_            "The beautiful angel, Jean. She's so pretty..." The girl stared and pointed at the source of the white light._

_            "Where, I don't see her?" The redhead's gaze averted momentarily, but she still held the girl's hand in her firm grip. Suddenly, the hand crumbled into dust, and the girl appeared ghostly white. No, she was glowing, and floating upwards into the light._

_            "Annie! Where are you going?"_

_            "The angel, she's come to take me away..."_

_            "Annie no! Don't leave me here!"_

            "Don't leave me..."

            _"Annie!" The redhead awakened, only to find herself laid on the ground. An EMT was shining a pentorch into her eye. "Annie? Where's Annie?"_

_            "She's fine ma'am. Probably collapsed due to shock."_

_            They put her on the stretcher, covered with a white sheet. She wasn't moving, wasn't breathing._

_            "Annie!" The redhead tried to get up._

_            "Jean, lie down..." she heard her mother's soothing voice. She burst into tears as her mother cradled her. Then, she saw the white light again._

_***_

_            For days, she continued to hear voices in her head._

_            "Make it stop! Make it stop!"_

_            "Jean, are you alright?"_

_            "Stop shouting! Stop yelling!"_

_***_

_            "Lately, she's been depressed, temperamental, and claims to be hearing voices..."_

_            "Doctor, what's wrong with her?"_

_            "I'm afraid Jean is having __auditory hallucinations. Traumatized due to having witnessed Annie's accident and unfortunate demise.  We might need to keep her under observation.__"_

_            "The voices are real! I'm not crazy!"_

_            "Jean, honey, calm down."_

_            The redhead clutched her head in her hands and assumed a foetal position on the chair she was sitting in._

_            "Just make it stop..." she winced._

            "Just make it stop..."

            _"Jean, listen to me. The doctor's going to keep you here for a few days so he can find out what's wrong with you."_

_            "No, I wanna go home..."_

_            "Jean, when he makes all the voices go away, you can come home."_

_            "No! I wanna go home now! Go home to Annie..."_

_            "Come Jean, the nurse will show you to your ward."_

_            "No, you're not taking me away from Annie! I wanna go home!" She screamed and flung her chair across the room._

_            "Restrain her!"_

_            "Jean!" _

_            "Doctor, is she going to be alright?"_

_            "I can assure you Mr and Mrs Grey, Jean is in good hands."_

_            "No! Lemme go!" She tried to wriggle out of the nurses' grasp, but to no avail. They were much stronger...she struggled. The more she struggled, the hotter she felt. It was as if she was burning, as if she was on fire. Wait, her fingertips, they were starting to glow. They glowed brighter, and burst into flames. She felt the flames creeping up her arms, engulfing her small frame. Did they set her on fire? But no, the fire was not hurting her. Her flesh was not burning, in fact, her flesh was turning into fire. Her hair was turning into flame. And the more she struggled, the brighter she burned. The flames spread quickly, and now the nurses and surrounding furniture were burning. Soon the whole ward was in flames. They were screaming as they were burning, but they were not charring. The fire emitted no smoke, it was not like ordinary fire. Perhaps it was something else. _

_            The nurses released her, writhing in pain as they continued to burn. She stood there, arms outstretched. The flames surged from her, the blaze forming the shape of wings over her arms..._

            "No!" The sleeping figure shot up from her bed into a seated position. Her blanket was wrapped, rather tightly, around her like a cocoon. Jean kicked the covers off, and wiped her sweaty strands of hair from her face and eyes. 

            "It was just a dream...It was just a dream..." She panted heavily as she chanted to reassure herself it was but a nightmare. She ran her fingers through her sweat-drenched hair, knees raised to her chest. She felt flushed. She was not burning, was she?

            Jean forced open her eyelids, and instinctively checked her hands. No, her fingertips were not glowing. She was not burning. It was just a dream. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 2.07 AM. She groaned and dragged her bedraggled self out of bed to wash her face in the bathroom. She caught her reflection in the mirror: bloodshot eyes and wet hair. _Why did I dream of fire? I've had nightmares of Annie, but not of fire... _She turned the tap on and splashed icy cold water on her face. She then changed into a fresh nightgown, before climbing into bed again. _It was just a bad dream..._

Jean lay there, staring at the ceiling above her. Visions of the firebird she dreamt of danced across her eyes. She shook her head vigorously from side to side, trying to rid herself of those images, before deciding to go downstairs to get something to drink.

***

            Jean silently made her way down the foyer stairs. The mansion was dark, except for a dim, soft glow coming from the kitchen.

            "Logan?" She squinted as her eyes came into contact with the jarring bright light.

            "Hi Jean."

            "Scott? What are you doing up at this hour?"

            "Can't sleep."

            "Tell me about it." Jean slumped into a chair, crossed her hands over the table and buried her head in them.

            "You too?"

            "Had another nightmare." Her voice barely audible.

            "Want some tea?" He rose, empty mug in hand.

            "Yes please." She lifted her head, wincing at the bright light.

            Scott poured two mugs, and handed one to her. "Here."

            "Thanks." Jean accepted the tea with both hands. She soothed her slightly parched throat with the warm liquid.

            "You look tired, maybe you should head back and try to get some more sleep."

            "I don't wanna...I don't want the nightmares to come back again." Jean gazed into her mug as she swirled the tea. The dark liquid caught the reflection of the lamp above the table, the distorted reflection seemingly taking on the image of a...Jean slammed the mug on the table, shut her eyes and shook her head. She was not imagining things, was she?

            "Jean?" Scott's voice was laced with concern for his beloved teammate. He drew up a chair beside her and gently massaged the nape of her neck. "Feeling better?"

            "Except for the pounding in my head, yeah..."

            Scott got up and retrieved some aspirin from the cupboard. Jean popped two in her mouth and downed it with some tea.

            "You'd like to tell me about it? About your nightmare?"

            "Nothing much really, just another one about Annie."

            "But you haven't had one of those in..."

            "...in ages? Yeah...But I've been having this same one dream for the past few nights...I should probably go talk to the professor about it."

            "Maybe you're just excited and restless. About this whole going to college thing. At least I know I am."

            "And worried about tonnes of stuff as well. You're projecting so loudly it kinda hurts a little."

            "Sorry," he flashed a half-smile.

            "It's okay."      

            "It's just, this mutant frenzy isn't dying down given the whole Apocalypse thing barely a couple of months ago. And truth be told, we'll be leaving in a couple of days, and I'm worried about us both leaving the team. Will they be able to handle themselves?"

            "They'll be fine, Scott. They're well trained, and we still have Storm and Logan."

            "But the team will not be in full force..."

            "You worry too much, Slim."

            "...and I'm worried about us too."

            Jean looked up from the tea she was sipping.

            "You're headed for Columbia, I'm headed for CUNY."

            "Scott Columbia is just down the street from CUNY. We could visit during weekends. And there's always the holidays."

            "But we won't be seeing as much of each other as we are now."

            "Scott, you know I love you and nothing will change that."

            "But what if?"

            "What if what?"

            "What if someone else comes between us? Like Duncan..."

            "Duncan's a jerk, don't remind me." Jean got up to rinse her mug.

            "What if that someone else isn't a jerk?"

            "Look," she turned to face him. "You're probably as worried about me as I am worried about you. We're going to be fine. Absence makes the heart grow fonder y'know."

            "This isn't a fairytale Jean, this is reality."

            "C'mon, let's get you some fresh air." Jean led Scott out the kitchen's back door. "Besides, this will probably be one of the last times in a long time that we'll ever get to see a sunrise from the boatdock."

***

            They walked in comfortable silence towards the pier and watched as the breezes stirred the freshly-fallen autumn leaves. The leaves twirled and danced gracefully, bathed in moonlight. It was still dark, and the sun would not be up until a couple more hours. The stars twinkled faintly, but most of them lay hidden behind the wispy clouds. The two of them approached the dock and went to sit by the edge. Jean took off her sandals and dipped her feet into the cool waters beneath.

            "Have you given a thought about what you want to do after you graduate?" Jean watched as the ripples formed around her ankles.

            "I'll probably return here to become a full-time instructor. Just like Storm did. The professor could use more help at the rate enrollment is increasing. He took me in, and the best thing I could do is return the favour. And maybe we could even turn this place into a real school, where we wouldn't have to hide our powers and stuff. What about you Jean?"

            "Be a doctor? That's what I've always wanted to do ever since I saw Annie die. To save lives. But then again, with the advent of human evolution, it had me thinking again. I told the professor I wanted to study Genetics, to fully understand what we are, why we have these special gifts. I could help save misdiagnosed telepathic girls like myself. And maybe, just maybe let people understand we are all but different from them. That we need to be understood, not feared. I could bring substantial scientific proof into the courtroom, to convince them that we are human, and we deserve equal rights, equal treatment and equal protection from acts of hostility."

            "That's pretty ambitious Jean."

            "But I'm not going to sit around and let that stupid MRA bill be passed. We deserve better for ourselves, and for future generations as well."

            Scott smiled at Jean's enthusiasm. "I have faith in you Jean."

            "And I have faith in you that you'll be a fine teacher too Scott." She scooted closer as he put his arm around her shoulders. She sunk into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder. They watched as the blue hue of the sky lightened gradually. The moon and the stars were starting to fade. In a distance, they heard the waves lap against the shoreline, the white foam washing ashore then retreating to reveal wet sand.

            "I was thinking," she lifted her head to get a better view of his face, "about what you said earlier in the kitchen."

            "Hmm?"

            "That if something were to happen to us; that if destiny never meant for us to be together, that we will still be best friends? And that we won't hate each other's guts afterward?"

            "I have faith in us Jean." His lips brushed lightly over her forehead, to emphasize his point.

            "But what if?" She gazed at the sky. It was turning red. 

            "You know I love you."

            "Ditto." Jean stifled a yawn.

            The sun was rising, and the sky grew redder. The clouds were thickening.

***

            "Anybody wants toast?" Scott called from the counter.

            "Kurt, I said like, pass the milk."

            "Scott, ah think we're outta cereal again!"

            "Thanks Kurt, like...Augh! Jamie!"

            "Sorry Kitty, tripped on my shoelaces." Three apologetic Jamies were looking at a piqued Kitty with a white splotch on her blouse, which bled into her skirt as well.

            "Jamie! This outfit is like, new!"

            "I said I was sorry."

            Kitty marched off to change, passing Bobby in the doorway. "Don't ask." Bobby just shrugged.

            "Is anyone listenin' 'ere? Ah said we're outta cereal!"

            "Sorry about that Rogue, you want some toast?"

            "Yeah, fayne, whatever."

            "Jean, you want some? Jean?"

            "Hmm?" Jean looked up from her juice. She had been daydreaming again. 

            "You want some toast?"

            "No, I'm not hungry."

            "Are you okay, you looked spaced out."

            "I'm fine, just a little sleepy. I think I'll get myself a cup of coffee."

            "Alright, anyone who needs a ride, be out in the garage in five minutes." Scott called out to no one in particular. He walked over to the sink to rinse his plate, then whisper something in Jean's ear. It made her giggle. He pecked her on the cheek, and walked out.

            "What?" Almost all eyes were on her. She turned and left the kitchen with her coffee in hand, to sit by the window still in the rec room. While sipping her coffee, she caught a glance of that familiar red sports car pull out of the drive way, and sped out into the distance. She looked up at the darkening grey sky. Lightning flashed, and in a split second, the raindrops came falling, first in a light drizzle, which then increased in intensity. The rain beat against the glass, the droplets breaking into streams on the smooth surface. Jean set her now empty mug beside her, and drew her knees to her chest. Absently, she traced the patterns on the glass with her index finger, her longing gaze fixed on the tiny droplet sliding down the window. There was this tinge of sadness in her heart; she did not think they will be leaving so soon. _It seemed like only yesterday..._

            Out of the corner of her eye, Jean saw the red car pull hurriedly into the drive way, and into the garage. She smiled a little. Upon hearing footsteps, her gaze averted to the doorway.

            "Should've taken your SUV." Scott was dripping a little, or at least his hair was all wet.

            "You're cuter when you're drenched, and all all wet like that." She shot him a coy smile, but amusement got the better of her and she started chuckling.

            "I think I'll go change."

            "I'll be right here waiting for you." She blew him a kiss. Jean watched him head up the stairs, and soon found herself humming to the tune of that song. She stared out into the rain again. It did not seem to want to stop anytime soon.

            "Hey beautiful." Scott approached her from behind and enveloped her in a hug, and kissed the top of her head.

            "Hey yourself."

            "Anything interesting out there?"

            "Just the rain. It's like the skies are bidding farewell to us as well." Jean sighed.

            "Yeah, I'm gonna miss hanging out here with the guys."

            Jean started yawning heavily. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a tonne. 

            "Jean?"

            "Hmm?" Her mumble was almost incoherent.

            _You wanna go back to your room? _He sent via their mindlink.

            _Nah, I'm quite comfy where I am._ She snuggled closer, nestled in his arms.

            Scott leaned against the corner, and looked out the window. The rainfall had once again been reduced to a drizzle. His gaze swept from the porch, down the steps, across the lawn, stopping at the wrought iron gates. _Tomorrow..._

            The fledgings were growing up too fast too soon. The first were about to leave this nest, this sanctuary. To soar in the open sky.

***

            Nobody really knew what to say. It was all so surreal. Hugs and words of encouragement were passed.

            Charles Xavier watched the exchange of laughter and tears from his office. His children were growing up, he mused. And the hallways will be emptier...

            He looked on as the young couple shared a parting kiss. It lingered for awhile, each refusing to let go. They embraced for a little longer, fingers intertwined, until they finally found the strength to pull away.

            Xavier tried to blink away the tears clouding his eyes, but one lone tear managed to escape as he witnessed the silver SUV leave the institute's gates, followed closely by the red sports car. He had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?


	2. Chapter Two

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jean Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did). Lee Forrester, Colleen Wing, Ted Roberts and Misty Knight are characters from the original comic canon.

Author's note: I'm being generous with chapter two here. From now on, updates only once a week. There's something called 'burn out' but I do fully intend to finish this before heading off to university, and I'm churning this out as fast as I can before my bunnies decide otherwise.

***

Chapter Two

            "So, what happens to the link?"

            "What about it?"

            The couple had arrived in New York City just before noon. They'd decided to have lunch in each other's company beforehand, before parting for the last time. Scott and Jean settled down in one of Subway's booths by the window. Jean grimaced as she watched Scott tuck into his calorie-laden footlong sub. She was satisfied with her veggie deli sandwich.

            "Do we still keep it?" He asked after swallowing a mouthful.

            "Of course we keep it. In fact, we're kinda stuck with it for life, unless one of us decides to break it." She bit into her sandwich.

            "No, no, I mean, are we still keeping it active?"

            "Unfortunately, I doubt it. The distance could prove to be exhausting. I don't exactly live down the hall from you anymore." She gestured in the air.

            "Damn, and I thought we could have nightly telepathic conversations."

            "You'd better concentrate on your studies." Jean remarked pointedly. "Besides, we might need some personal space."

            "I'd rather spend the time thinking about you." Scott tried his best to put on a mock-forlorn expression.

            Jean tried not to choke on her sandwich. "Flattery will get you nowhere. But seriously Scott..."

            "I know, I know..." he threw up his hands in defence, "we'll just stick to the internet. I guess I just have to get used to the constant static buzz owing to poor reception." He made a face and Jean glared up at him from her coffee cup.

            "Well, I could maintain it when we're in very close proximity."

            "You mean like when we get to meet up for lunch sometime?"

            "That'll just give you an excuse to ask me out more often."

            "You're on."

            "Scott..."

            "Hey, like you said just a few streets down." He grinned.

            Jean rolled her eyes. "Oh fine." But she could not help smile at that though.

            Finishing up, they left hand in hand.  Scott led Jean to her car, and they shared a sweet, tender kiss before stepping away from each other and into their respective cars. They pulled out of the parking area and continued with the final leg of their journey. The red sports car trailed the silver SUV down Broadway before turning into 138th Street while the latter sped down ahead.

***

            Scott went through registrations with little hassle and proceeded to haul his belongings up to his dorm. Many of the freshmen were scurrying up and down the hallways, and others bunched in doorways, going through the getting-to-know-you routine. Lively chatter filled the air as Scott made his way in search of his room. He found his room empty when he arrived. His roommate had not arrived yet. Scott had missed the mention of his roomie's name during registration due to his nerves. He still was not comfortable having his body displaced in an unfamiliar environment. Maybe setting his mind to the task of unpacking would calm him while he waited for the mystery person to make an appearance. _I wonder how Jean is doing right now, Scott thought aloud._

            He grabbed the bed and desk by the window. The view outside his window was not exactly the best, but at least he could see some sky and greenery. He set up his stationery and laptop on his desk, and of course the all important pictures from home. The biggest was a group shot of all the students and instructors, with the institute in the backdrop. There were his graduation photos, one with Jean and Alex, and another with the professor, Ororo, Jean, Kitty and Kurt. The ones he set on his small bedside table were closer and dearer. One was taken with Alex when he visited him in Hawaii, and a couple more of him and Jean: one of the prom, and the other which was taken just recently at the boatdock, their favourite haunt when they were younger. Scott picked the last frame up and lay down on his back on his bed, reminiscing the days gone by. Sometimes, he wished he could be that young boy again. His index finger traced the silhouette of Jean's frame as he tried to recall the mild scent of her shampoo and the taste of her lips. He left obvious fingermarks on the glass, and impulsively, he got up and cleaned the glass.

            A light rapping on the door startled Scott and he leapt to his feet, almost knocking the pictures over. He was cursing lightly as he made his way towards the door. Perhaps it was his roommate. He had been waiting for over an hour already. What surprised him though, was that it was a lanky blonde with waist long hair standing outside his door. It was clear that only members of the same gender could room together. His eyes were a little wide behind his shades.

            "Hi, I'm Alyetis Forrester, but I prefer to go by Lee." She held out her hand.

            "Hi, uh, I'm Scott Summers." He shook her hand firmly. "Sorry, it was rude of me to stare. I thought for a sec they made a mistake and made you my roommate."

            "Oh, no I already have a roomie. Her name's Colleen Wing, but she ran off with some cute guy she met. I'm your neighbour by the way, and I saw you arrive some time ago. I thought maybe something was wrong because you never came out of your room."

            "I'm rather, tending towards the anti-social side. And I was waiting for my roomie. Speaking of which, have you seen him around?"

            Lee shook her head. The hallways were still bustling, but no one appeared to be headed for his direction. There was a moment's silence before Scott broke it. "You wanna come in for awhile? I don't want to leave you standing here."

            "Alright. It seems like neither is coming soon."

            Scott left the door open. He did not want to arouse suspicion. His room for now was furnished with the bare minimum, and there was not much interesting to see, except for his pictures, to which Lee's eyes immediately drifted to.

            She noticed first the group photograph. "Your family?"

            "Not biologically. Friends. We're rather a close knit bunch, so I guess you could call us that. It's...sorta like a boarding school." Scott pointed to the white building in the background.

            "Ah." Lee looked around. And she took notice that two people more or less constantly appeared in his pictures. One was a younger boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and spotted a tan.

            "That's my brother Alex."

            Then, there was a redheaded girl.

            "That's Jean, my girlfriend."

            She appeared to be Scott's contemporary. "She's not here in CUNY?"

            "She's actually down in Columbia, studying genetics."

            Lee found it rather weird that among all the photographs, there was none of Scott's parents. "What about, your...erm...parents?" She felt rather awkward stating that question.

            "They were in a plane crash...when I was eight."

            Lee's hand immediately went over her mouth. "I'm so sorry."

            "It's s'okay." Scott gave her a reassuring smile.

            Lee fished out her wallet from her jeans pocket and pulled out a slightly worn photo. There was a little girl in plaits and an older podgy man. "That's me, with my dad. My mom died when I was born." It was taken at a pier. There were many boats and yachts. "He owns a boat rental company. I help out when I'm free."

            They chatted for a little while longer.

            "I don't mean to be rude, but what's up with the shades? It's not the normal kinds and you don't seem to want to take them off."

            "Fashion statement." He joked. "I have an eye condition. Too sensitive to light."

            "Oh, nothing serious I hope?"

            "If it's kept in check, no."

            They heard footsteps in their direction and a soft knock on the opened door. Scott turned his head.

            "Scott?"

            "Paul?" Scott got up to embrace his friend. "Oh my god, it's great to see you again. I haven't seen you since your parents took you out of Bayville High after the...great fiasco." Scott generalized for the benefit of Lee's doubt.

            "Great to see you too. It's been awhile. And I can't believe we're actually rooming together."

            "You'd better believe it. Oh Paul, this is Lee, our neighbour. Lee, Paul."

            "Nice to meetcha."

            "Same. Look, I think I'd better be going before Colleen decides to come looking for me. See ya around."

            Seeing that the sheets of the bed by the window were rumpled, Paul took that as an indication that his was the one nearer the door. "Aw man, I don't get the one by the window?"

            "First come, first serve."

            "Don't blame me. New York traffic." Paul proceeded to unpack. "What are you majoring in?"

            "Math. You?"

            "Chemistry."

            "Got a girlfriend?"

            "Yeah, Jean."

            "Whoa, you guys actually got together?"

            "Yep!" And there was this huge grin on Scott's face.

            "Well, it was about time she dumped that jerk." Paul referred to Duncan.

            "You?"

            "Nah."

            "And I thought you were majoring in chemistry." Paul threw a shoe at Scott for that remark.

            "Sorry, bad joke." And Scott fell back laughing.

            "So, what's she doing?"

            "Genetics in Columbia."

            "Aww...It would've been cute if you two were in CUNY."

            "Her parents wanted the best for her."

            "Then why didn't you follow her to Columbia?"

            "I don't do social elite. And I thought we'll be distracting for each other."

            "Okay, I'm almost done with the main bulk of stuff. Wanna head down to grab some bites? I'm starved."

            Scott perked up at that. Food was good. They waved to Lee in the hallway, but she insisted she'd rather wait a little longer for Colleen to return.

***

            It was raining when Jean arrived at Columbia. Scott was probably lucky to have missed the downpour, she thought. But unfortunately, she would have to be caught in the rain. Well, she intended to throw up a telekinetic shield since she had to juggle her luggage and had no hands for an umbrella. But people would notice. Thus, Jean decided to brave the storm like all normal people did, attempting to shelter herself with an umbrella and carry her baggage.

            "Need help miss?"

            "Help would be appreciated." Jean looked up and saw a skinny, young bespectacled man with thin chestnut-coloured hair.

            "Let's get you out of the rain." He smiled and bent to pick up one of her larger bags. 

            They made it to the sheltered foyer before exchanging pleasantries. 

            "Name's Ted Roberts."

            "Jean Grey." She shook his (wet) hand. 

            Ted escorted Jean to the registration hall, and upon his insistence, to her dorm. When she got to her room, her roommate was already there and waiting. Ted left them be.

            "Hi, I'm Jean Grey."

            "Misty Knight." Her voice was low and deep. She had intense black eyes and tight, black curls. "Psychology major."

            "I'm interested in Genetics, but first I have to get my undergraduate degree from Barnard." Misty gave Jean a nod of acknowledgement. 

            Then, she gestured at Jean's overall appearance. "You'd better change into something warmer before you catch a cold."

            "I guess I should." Jean was no doubt feeling a little chilly, but the smile she wore was warm. She reached into her luggage for a suitable change of clothing for this drab weather and headed off to change.

            "So, who was that guy?"

            "Ted? Oh, some good Samaritan."

            "I'd say he was just checking you out."

            "Oh..." _And to think Jean, that you're the telepath. "I hardly noticed. Besides, I'm already taken." Jean fished out the photograph of her and Scott taken by the boatdock. She passed it to Misty. "This here is Scott," she explained, flushing lightly. "He's in CUNY."_

            "Ah."

            Jean proceeded to empty the contents of one bag, mostly her pictures and stationery. She'd do the clothes later. There was the same group shot of the members of the institute, one of the X-girls her with Kitty and Rogue, her graduation photos one with her family, and the other with Scott (and Alex). She had another Christmas picture with her family, and a couple more of her with Scott. Along with her laptop, and randomly arranged stationery, her desk was already becoming cluttered. And half of her frames were still laid on the bed. Misty picked up the one on top of the pile.

            "That's Dad, Mom and Sarah. Dad's the chair of History at Bard. Mom's a homemaker, and Sarah just got married."

            "My parents are divorced. Dad's a cop, but I don't remember much about my mother." Misty shrugged. "So, why med school?"

            "Well, I had this friend, Annie, who died in a car accident." Jean tried to ignore the painful lump in her throat that threatened to form. "It was one of those turning points in your life. Her injuries were very severe, but maybe if someone in the crowd could've reacted fast enough, she could've been saved, even if there was the slightest chance. It _felt_ really horrible; just looking at her I could imagine the pain she was going through." Jean brushed at the tiny goosepimples that formed on her skin. "So I resolved to want to study medicine and save lives."

            "My parents constantly quarrelled when I was really young. Dad told me she was having an affair, and naturally, he was furious. There was this one night, the fight got so heated, Dad took out his gun, aimed, pulled the trigger, and missed my mom by less than an inch. They divorced soon after." Misty remarked almost expressionlessly, though Jean could feel the vibes of anger being projected from her. "I was scared stiff and thought Dad had shot Mom head on. He's almost always accurate."

            "It's amazing how our life experiences can define who we are." Jean scooped up the remaining frames and arranged them by the bedside. Then, she lay down on her bed and stretched a little.

            "Yeah, and I'll probably want to become a councillor, especially for such kids." Misty got up from where she sat and walked towards the window. The storm had downsized to a persistent drizzle. The windows misted a little. She rubbed at the condensate on the glass so she could see the view outside. But the condensate just kept creeping back. It was getting cold outside, but the room was warm and cosy. Jean closed her eyes; she was getting rather sleepy. That was until a rumble from her tummy broke the silence.

            "Oops...I'd guess we better head downstairs to find something to eat." Jean crawled from her reclining position.

            Both girls grabbed another article of clothing each to slip over before leaving. They met Ted at the stairwell. He waved. Jean met his eyes and reacted with a half-smile before Misty hurriedly ushered her away. Intuition told Misty she was not going to like this Ted guy.

***

_10.00pm__ **user slim_shadey has logged in**_

_..._

_10.07pm__ **user jeangrey has logged in**_

_slim_shadey__: ha! u're late_

_jeangrey__: :p_

_jeangrey__: __ur__ clock's fast_

_jeangrey__: wat's wif da name?_

_slim_shadey__: i'm the real "slim" "shadey" haha... get it?_

_jeangrey__: O.o_

_jeangrey__: lol_

_slim_shadey__: so y aren't u gettin one?_

_jeangrey__: *shrugs*_

_slim_shadey__: *thinks* marvel_girl?_

_jeangrey__: *rolls eyes*_

_slim_shadey__: so, how was _ur___ day?_

_jeangrey__: alright, u?_

_slim_shadey__: u'll nvr guessed wat happened_

_jeangrey__: wat?_

_slim_shadey__: paul's my roomie_

_jeangrey__: OMG THE paul?? no way_

_slim_shadey__: yes way_

_jeangrey__: lucky pig :p_

_slim_shadey__: does lucky encompass livin next door to 2 babes?_

_jeangrey__: *glares*_

_slim_shadey__: ok, ok, so who's _ur___ roomie?_

_jeangrey__: misty knight_

_slim_shadey__: ??__ weird name_

_jeangrey__: O.o ... psychology major_

_slim_shadey__: okkkay..._

_jeangrey__: wat's paul doing?_

_slim_shadey__: chem._

_jeangrey__: spill on __ur__ neighbours_

_slim_shadey__: y ms grey... ;)_

_jeangrey__: spill!_

_slim_shadey__: lee forrester, and colleen wing i haven't met_

_slim_shadey__: dun worry, i ain't lookin_

_jeangrey__: got caught in da rain just now_

_slim_shadey__: aww...*huggles*_

_jeangrey__: *sniffles*_

_slim_shadey__: cold?_

_jeangrey__: hope not_

_jeangrey__: there was dis helpful guy tho_

_slim_shadey__: guy?!_

_jeangrey__: jealous summers? ;)_

_slim_shadey__: he'd better not b hittin on my gal_

_slim_shadey__: or i'll blast him to kingdom come_

_jeangrey__: literally? lol_

_jeangrey__: but misty is already my self-appointed lookout ^^_

_jeangrey__: dad's a cop too_

_slim_shadey__: might begin to like dis misty person_

_slim_shadey__: we shld get 2gether some time to exchange pointers_

_jeangrey__: i can take care of myself_

_slim_shadey__: *worried*_

_jeangrey__: u worry too much_

_slim_shadey__: :)_

_jeangrey__: :( more like it_

_slim_shadey__: :p___

_jeangrey__: i miss home...wonder how da rest r_

_slim_shadey__: *sighs*_

_10.37pm__ **user *sprite* has logged in**_

_slim_shadey__: hey! kitty's online!_

_jeangrey__: where?_

_10.38pm__ **user *sprite* has been invited to join the conversation by slim_shadey**_

_*sprite*: scott? jean? OMG!_

_slim_shadey__: hey kitty!_

_jeangrey__: hi! :)_

_*sprite*: jean, like y dun u haf a user name?_

_jeangrey__: dun wanna_

_*sprite*: like duh, u haf gotta haf a user name_

_slim_shadey__: suggested one, she didn't like it_

_*sprite*: wat_

_slim_shadey__: marvel_girl_

_*sprite*: O.o scott, tt is like_

_jeangrey__: c, told ya!_

_slim_shadey__: fine *rolls eyes*_

_*sprite*: so, how's college? ^^_

_jeangrey__: gr8_

_slim_shadey__: see above_

_*sprite*: :@ tt's like, super long scott_

_*sprite*: da_fuzzy_one: hi! :)_

_jeangrey__: ??_

_*sprite*: kurt! like get __ur__ own com_

_slim_shadey__: lol_

_10.55pm__ **user da_fuzzy_one has logged in**_

_10.55pm__ **user da_fuzzy_one has been invited to join the conversation by *sprite***_

_da_fuzzy_one__: hey dudes!_

_slim_shadey__: yo kurt!_

_jeangrey__: is da whole mansion comin to join da convo now?_

_da_fuzzy_one__: jean, vhy don't ya haf a user name_

_*sprite*: we like told her tt_

_jeangrey__: *rolls eyes*_

_slim_shadey__: *laughs*_

_jeangrey__: not funny :p_

_jeangrey__: kurt! u type like u speak!_

_da_fuzzy_one__: so, vhat abt it?_

_jeangrey__: c, there it is again!_

_slim_shadey__: ..._

_jeangrey__: *throws pillow at slim_shadey*_

_slim_shadey__: *throws pillow back*_

_*sprite*: pillow fight!_

_da_fuzzy_one__: kitty! _LOGAN___'S COMIN!_

_*sprite*: eek! OMG! like, bye guys!_

_da_fuzzy_one__: nite nite!_

_11.15pm__ **user *sprite* has logged off**_

_11.15pm__ **user da_fuzzy_one has logged off**_

_jeangrey__: tt went well_

_slim_shadey__: tt was curfew_

_jeangrey__: lol hoped they made it in time_

_slim_shadey__: lol_

_jeangrey__: tink we shld turn in too?_

_slim_shadey__: i dunno_

_jeangrey__: :o_

_slim_shadey__: fine ... tmr then_

_jeangrey__: mayb they'll come online again_

_slim_shadey__: mayb_

_jeangrey__: nite slim_

_slim_shadey__: nite jean *blows 3*_

_jeangrey__: eww... scott!_

_slim_shadey__: lol_

_jeangrey__: nite!_

_11.28pm__ **user jeangrey has logged off**_

_11.45pm__ **user slim_shadey has logged off**_

***

Endnotes: If you haven't realised yet, _Marvel Girl_ was Jean's original code name in the comics, and likewise _Sprite for Kitty. I've also borrowed the 'Jean meets Ted' scenario from the comics. Scott was associated (briefly) with Lee and Colleen, and likewise Jean with Misty and Ted. _

Yes, and please R & R.


	3. Chapter Three

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

***

Chapter Three

            Christmas break could not have come sooner for those who were eagerly anticipating the holidays. And that could be judged from the traffic congestion that plagued New York City. Despite the cold and blustery conditions, this has not deterred a determined young man heading for Westchester, and the quaint town of Bayville.

            _It's great to be home,_ mused Scott as he found himself once again navigating familiar streets. He turned a corner and made his way towards the three-storey white mansion which sat at the edge of a cliff. It matched the snow covered grounds. The winds had abated, and tiny snowflakes hovered in the air. The passcodes had been changed, and Scott had to call for Logan to open the institute's gates. Scott wondered what else had changed.

            As he drove through the gates, there was this sense of nostalgia. He had certainly been away for quite awhile; he missed home. His horn heralded his arrive. Scott could see three figures at the porch. Kitty, Kurt and Rogue had braved the morning snow to await their arrival. Well, technically his, since Jean would not be coming back till a couple of days later. He smiled and waved. They scrambled from their seated positions and stood and waved. Kitty was bouncing on her heels. Scott stopped his car by the front porch and was greeted with hugs from the bunch. 

            "It's so great to see you again!" Kitty squealed. Scott noted that Kitty had grown by at least a few inches.

            "You have no idea vhat ze place is like vithout you around," Kurt joked lightly. 

            Scott had to laugh at Kurt's remark. "It's good to see you guys too."

            Rogue stepped forward to accept Scott's embrace, albeit stiffly. "Where's Jean? Ah thought ya both were in New York?"

            "Jean wanted to stop by her parents' place first. She'll be here in a couple of days." Scott could not help but let his anxiety and anticipating seep through.

            "Say, I'll park my car in the garage and meet you guys for some hot chocolate?"

            There was a general consensus and the three left for the kitchen while Scott started his car again and backed it into the garage. There he met Logan who was doing a general survey of the mansion's vehicles.

            "Hey kid," acknowledged Logan in his trademark, gruffy voice.

            "Hey," returned Scott.

            "Welcome home. Charles is waiting in the library."

            "Thanks." Scott gave the older man a smile as he disappeared back into the mansion. He found Ororo descending the stairs as he made his way through the foyer.

            "Scott."

            "'Ro." He received her hug.

            "It's good to have you back."

            "It's good to be back."

            "Charles is waiting."

            "Yeah, I know. I met Logan in the garage."

            Ororo made her way back up to the attic while Scott headed for the library. He knocked softly and opened the heavy wooden doors.

             "Professor?"

            "Scott, welcome home."

            "Glad to be back sir. Jean'll be back in a few days."

            "Yes, I'm aware of that. She called. I trust the journey went well?"

            "Yes it did, sir."

            "Well, I'd guess you won't want to keep the rest waiting? And once again, welcome home."

            "Thanks," Scott offered a warm smile as he left to rendezvous with the others.

***

            Jean had spent two days with her parents before returning to Bayville. And she wished that these two days would come and go swiftly, thus when that day finally dawned, she bid her parents goodbye and left eagerly. But she'd return to visit them again before heading back to Columbia. Jean left early so as to avoid the late morning congestion, and in no time at all, found herself back again in Bayville, and soon in the arms of the man she loved. Driving through the tall metal gates of the institute, she felt once more that familiar warm tingle at the back of her mind as their link sprung back to life. In the past months, she'd felt rather disorientated without it.

            _Scott,_ she sent,_ where are you?_

_            I'm in the garage._ He sounded mildly surprised. She had returned earlier than postulated, so he probably was not expecting it.

            Jean eased her car into an available spot. Scott was waiting by his car when she practically leapt into his arms. The impact almost sent him falling over and into the back seat of his car. Her hair tickled his face and neck as he nuzzled her. They embraced for awhile; no words could express their emotion. Waves of happiness flooded their link. It was an unspoken bond that they shared. Scott lowered Jean so he could get a good look at her face. His arms were still around her waist as hers were around his neck. He leaned in for a kiss. Her cheeks were a little cold, but her lips were still warm, soft and sweet as he remembered. His tongue gently explored her mouth as she did his. And they did so before breaking for a breath of air.

            "I've missed you, Red." Scott murmured, his breath warm on her nose, which still felt cold.

            "Ditto, Slim."

            "C'mon, let's get you inside where it's warmer." Scott took Jean by the hand and led her gently back inside.

            The foyer was crowded as the students were preparing to head home for the holidays. Some had already left the day before, but others like Kitty and Kurt had opted to remain behind and wait for Jean's return before leaving.

            Christmas was a relatively quite affair. Even Kurt managed to persuade Rogue to accompany him to visit his foster parents. Over the past year, they had grown closer, although they were siblings in every aspect but blood. Thus, that left the whole mansion to just the professor, Hank, Scott and Jean. But the couple did not mind the silence, which gave them ample personal space as they cuddled by the fire while the professor and Hank engaged in chess. At times they found opportunities to catch themselves under the mistletoe, but the rest of the mornings were spent chasing each other around the mansion grounds with snowballs in hand. It was just like the old days when it was only the two of them in the institute. And life was so much simpler then.

***

            Nonetheless, the (few) days fly by, and parting is such sweet sorrow. But come Valentine's Day...

            "Scott? Earth to Scott?" Paul waved his hand over Scott's face, the latter whom was seemingly staring deeply into space.

            "Hmm...huh?"

            "Thinking of something? Or more specifically _someone_?"

            "Just counting. It's three more days till Valentine's." Scott had that dreamy faraway look.

            "Hey guys!"

            "Hi Lee." 

            "What's up with Scott?" Lee asked Paul, pointing her thumb in Scott's direction.

            Paul shrugged nonchalantly and poked at his pasta. "Beats me."

            "Humph..." Lee chewed on her food.

            "Hey, can I join you guys for lunch?"

            Three faces looked up at their mysterious lunch guest.

            "Colleen, whatcha doing here? Where's David?"

            "Screw him." Colleen plopped her tray on the table and took the seat opposite Scott.

            "Oh, I believe you haven't met our neighbours. This is Paul, and this is Scott."

            "Hi." Colleen eased back into her seat. She took a fleeting glance at Paul, and her gaze lingered on Scott for awhile.

            "Nice shades," Colleen voiced with a purr. Scott caught her eyes behind his shades. She had shoulder-length, brown (he was assuming) tresses and doe eyes. She battered her eyelids at him while he felt her foot caress his right calf. He tried to suppress a strangled gasp. Dear lord, she was flirting with him...

            "Oh shit!" Scott jumped out of his chair as he spilt his soda on his shirt. Paul and Lee startling giggling, but Colleen was just studying him quietly with a coy look on her face. "I think I'd better go wash these stains out," Scott flushed slightly as he excused himself from the table and headed for the washroom. He made a quick clean job of his shirt and stared himself in the mirror. But the smirk on Colleen's face just would not leave his mind. "You're in love with Jean, she was just flirting." Scott voiced to his reflection, before he decided to splash some cold water on his face. He wore his stoic face walking back to his table. He was clearly not amused with Colleen's seduction antics. 

            "So, who are you taking out on Valentine's?" Colleen drawled.

            "Erm...no one in particular actually," Paul managed to choke a reply. Great, she was playing Paul too.

            "How 'bout you Scott?" She put on an innocent smile.

            "Forget it girlfriend, he's already got a date," Lee pointed out, and with her fork to emphasis her point.

            Colleen recoiled, and her gaze turned seemingly cold. She looked away. "Oh," she mentioned in passing, her tone aloof.

            Scott made no hesitation in standing, signalling he was ready to leave. "It was nice knowing you Colleen. C'mon Paul, we're gonna be late for Calc class."

            "All the good guys are always taken." Colleen crossed her arms. "But he was cute anyway."

            Lee shook her head and sighed as she finished up. 

            But Colleen was scheming. She was determined to know who this girl that captured his heart was.

***

            Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday, and it took Scott quite a bit of coercing to get Jean's nose out of her books just for a lunch date. He even surprised her with a tidy bouquet of red roses on her doorstep.

            "These are for the lovely lady," Scott presented the sweet-smelling roses to an astonished but beaming Jean. She accepted the flowers and the kiss on her hand, then proceeded to envelop him in a hug and plant a smooch on his lips.

            "I'll go put these in water," exclaimed Jean elatedly. Scott was left standing in the doorway when Misty came into his line of sight.

            "Hi, you must be Misty," Scott held out his hand.

            "And you must be Scott." Misty took his hand and shook it with a tight grip. "Jean's told me all about you."

            "Likewise. Thanks for...er...helping to look out for her." Scott smiled lightly.

            "Erm...no problem." Misty returned his smile as Jean fetched her purse from her desk and headed for the door.

            "Ready to go?"

            Jean acknowledged with a nod and put her hand in his. They waved to Misty as they walked down the hall.

            "Have fun you two!" Misty waved back.

            Scott and Jean were oblivious to the watchful eye of Ted from atop the stairs as they exited the dormitory.

***

             School had no doubt kept all of them busy, and though Columbia and CUNY were but separated by a few streets, Scott and Jean found they had barely time for each other, except for occasional lunch dates and walks in the park on weekends that they were free. And nightly internet chats proved an effort to keep up, so much so that it had been reduced to the frequency of three to four per week, but once in awhile, Scott would call Jean just so he could hear her enchanting voice.

            They were both relieved when the summer holidays crept by, and this meant they got to spend quality time together, not just with each other, but their extended family back in Bayville. It had been months, and they were also slightly homesick.

            Scott's birthday fell short of the summer holidays, and his college pals decided that a celebration was in order, before they broke off for the holidays. It was a small affair, but Scott naturally invited Jean and Misty along, much to Colleen's dismay. But she really wanted to find out who Jean was. Since none of them were of legal age to step into a bar yet, they had opted to celebrate it in a fine eatery downtown instead. Scott insisted he'd pick Jean and Misty up while Paul was left with the honours to escort Lee and Colleen.

            It was a warm night, but it was not sweltering. Lee and Misty both dressed in dark pants and light blouses. Jean, on Scott's arm, adorned a champagne-coloured knee-length halter dress while Colleen's in contrast was chocolate, revealing a lot of cleavage and legs. 

            The six of them were arranged at a round table, Misty to Jean's left and Scott to her right. Paul sat next to Misty, and Lee next to Scott. Colleen positioned herself in between Paul and Lee, with a clear view of both Scott and Jean. Scott had his arm around Jean's shoulder and was whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Colleen scowled seeing the couple acting all lovey-dovey. And being the telepath that she was, Jean picked up that rather sound projection and shot a glare in Colleen's direction. They locked eyes for a moment, before the waitresses came along and broke their concentration.

            All throughout the meal and light-hearted conversation, Jean noticed Colleen's hitting on Scott, from the fluttering of her lashes to the sultry pose and the projections from her mind. It was becoming a little overwhelming for Jean who was a receptive telepath and highly sensitive to mood changes of the people around her. And Scott notwithstanding, and who seemed to show seemingly the slightest interest and response to this enchantress. The loud chatter from the surroundings flooded her mind furthermore with emotions and a dull ache at the back of her head began to form. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to shake the voices out of her head. She felt her mind being pulled into a whirlwind of thoughts, and she was losing hold on the conversation carried out at her table.

            "Jean? Are you alright?" Scott replaced his fork on the table.

            "I'm...I'm fine." Jean voiced, a little dazed.

            "You barely touched your food."

            "I said I'm fine." Jean's voice raised a little, as she stood up. "I'm sorry, excuse me for a sec." She left in the direction of the washroom. Scott half-stood, hesitating to go after Jean. She was unusually moody today, and Scott knew inside-out her notorious temper.

            The world about her was spinning, but the thoughts gradually weakened as she retreated into the washroom. Jean steadied herself on the counter and tried to calm herself down. She had been careless tonight, letting slip the mental blocks a bit. But she had not been exercising her telepathy much as of late, and being constantly cooped up in her room rendered her little contact with the outside world. Her mind had been relatively isolated, and she was feeling stressed with the increasing workload. Within a few minutes, the wave of nausea had almost deserted her as she closed her eyes and relaxed as the professor had taught her.

_            That Colleen is a threat, she must be rid..._

            "Wha..." Jean snapped from her meditation. There was a voice, but there was no other body in the washroom. Strange...

            Jean looked up and caught her own reflection in the mirror. She stared intensely into her deep green eyes. She searched further and further, until she found a flame.

            _She must be rid, she must be rid..._

            The flame grew brighter. The flame in her eyes.

            Jean let out a scream as she opened her eyes and found herself collapsed on the floor. She must have lapsed into a weird dream-state again.

            "Jean?!" The door flung open and Scott rushed in to Jean's side. He helped her sit up as Misty peered in.

            "Are you okay? You frightened us all."

            Jean just found the strength to nod.

            "I'll go get some water," Misty suggested, leaving them alone.

            "There was this...there were these voices..."

            "Your telepathy acting up again?"

            "Yeah, I guess." Jean spoke through a partially parched throat as she buried her head in his shoulder and inhaled his familiar scent to soothe her nerves. There had to be a logical explanation for all this.

            "What's that Colleen girl doing here? I don't like her." Jean knew that sounded silly but she did not care.

            "She's Paul's date. And yeah, I don't quite like her either."

            _Liar._

            "There it is again. That voice..." A whisper escaped the lips of a startled Jean as Misty appeared with a glass of water in hand.

            "Here, I've got the water."

            "It's only Misty, Jean." Scott took the glass from Misty and Jean sipped cautiously from it.

            "No it wasn't, it was another..." Jean felt another wave of nausea hit her. She stumbled for the nearest toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach into it.

            "Jean?" Scott was starting to get really worried.

            "I'll go get a bunch of napkins." Misty left again and hurried back with the napkins. She wet one in cold tap water and handed it to Scott, who was helping Jean hold her hair up while she repeatedly threw up.

            "Here, press this on the back of her neck."

            Scott did as Misty instructed, but it took a good ten minutes before Jean's condition stabilised. Misty collected the glass of water from the counter, telling Jean to rinse before swallowing another mouthful of water. Thankfully, Jean had not soiled herself, but she was not feeling so well.

            "I think we better get you back." Scott helped a wobbly Jean to her feet and draped his jacket over her shoulders while Misty held the door open. They excused themselves from the table, and made their way outside to the car park.

            "I'm sorry for ruining your birthday," Jean murmured, exhaustion almost claiming her. Her telepathy, for some reason had been overpowering and out of control tonight.

            "It's okay sweetheart," Scott placed a kiss on her temple as he belted her up in the back seat where Misty sat with her. Scott took a slow drive back to Columbia. Jean fell asleep on the journey back and he did not want to wake her with a bumpy car ride, or much worse, cause another wave of nausea to stir. He carried her up the steps to hers and Misty's room. The elusive Ted lurked in the hallway as he saw Scott enter the girls' room and did not leave until nearly forty minutes later.

            "Call me if she gets better, or worse," Scott told Misty upon leaving. 

            "I will, don't worry." Misty gave Scott a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and then closed the door silently.

            Scott walked down the stairs and towards his car, but with his pent up frustrations, decided to head for a walk in the park instead. He called Paul on his cell phone to apologise, and that they carry out with the night's planned activities without him. He was a trifle tired and needed some time alone to himself. As he walked himself deeper into the wooded area, he had considered letting loose a few optic blasts, but then again feared levelling the entire area without his visor. He was angry, but not particularly certain with what issue either. So he found himself a stone bench and sat himself down to think of the night's events, the torrid summer breeze stirring his hair lightly. It was past one in the morning when he returned to his room.


	4. Chapter Four

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Thanks goes out to my faithful reviewers, my good friends Optic Red and Jen, aimtbj and The Rogue Witch. ^^ Will also archive this soon on my shared website (with Optic Red), so check it out ;)  I'm also currently writing _The Amazing Race: Fandom Style _(mixed fandoms, but Evo characters include Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, Bobby, Jubilee, Amara and Tabitha -- so check out our website and forum; linked on the site).

Okay, enough rambling. Now on with the story...

***

Chapter Four

            _"Burn!__ BURN!" The redhead cackled evilly as the brunette cowered at her feet._

_            "No...please...I beg of you to stop..." The brunette huddled in a foetal position, doused in raging flames. She pleaded desperately, but it seems that the redhead only grew angrier by the minute. And the more irate she became, the fire grew bigger._

_            "You will pay! You will burn! And you shall DIE!" The redhead's flaming figure hovered over the frightened brunette. She manipulated the flames as easy as she would, wriggling her fingers. A vicious smile ran across her face as she conducted the flames like an orchestra. The fire too shrouded the redhead like a heavy, settling mist, but it seemed to only harm her victim._

_            "No...NO!" The brunette's cries were becoming deafening, but only to be drowned by the redhead's laughter._

_            "Yes...YES! BURN!" _

            "NO!" Jean shot up in her bed screaming. She shook her head forcefully, and tried to regain her orientation. She was in her room. She just had a nightmare. Her hair was soaked and she felt as if she was running a temperature. Jean looked beside her at the sleeping figure of Misty, who mumbled something in her sleep and turned over. Jean decided to wash up and get something to quench her thirst. She was still wobbly on her feet, and the white light of the bathroom was piercing. She winced as she stumbled to the sink and turned on the tap. She studied her bedraggled appearance in the mirror. What was happening to her? She had another nightmare of fire again, and this time, the visions did not extend to just Annie alone. And it did become more vivid. Jean shuddered at the thought and goosepimples formed on her arms. She had to admit she was becoming frightened. Maybe this time, she will talk to the professor about it.

            Jean dragged her aching body back into bed and pulled the covers over her. Then she felt too hot and kicked them off. She tossed and turned, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw the flames again. She finally gave up trying to go back to sleep and walked over to her desk and switched on her laptop. Intuition told her that someone else was not feeling sleepy either.

_1.48am__ **user jeangrey has logged in**_

_slim_shadey__: Jean?_

_jeangrey__: yeah..._

_slim_shadey__: shldn't u b asleep?_

_jeangrey__: y aren't u?_

_slim_shadey__: can't_

_jeangrey__: me neither_

_jeangrey__: had another nitemare_

_slim_shadey__: wanna talk abt it?_

_jeangrey__: no, just don't ok_

_slim_shadey__: Jean, what's wrong?_

_jeangrey__: nothin ok_

_slim_shadey__: Jean_

_jeangrey__: JUST CUT IT OUT_

_slim_shadey__: ok, ok_

_slim_shadey__: so how're u feeling?_

_jeangrey__: better_

_jeangrey__: still having a bit of a headache tho_

_slim_shadey__: u shld go back to sleep_

_jeangrey__: i'm afraid_

_slim_shadey__: of what?_

_jeangrey__: i don't know_

_jeangrey__: i think it's best to leave it to the prof_

_slim_shadey__: Jean, u're worrying me_

_jeangrey__: i'll b fine_

_jeangrey__: it's just the TP, i think it's actin up again_

_slim_shadey__: i think it's more than just __ur__ TP_

_jeangrey__: i don't know...i just..._

_jeangrey__: i need some asprin_

_slim_shadey__: try to get some sleep 'k_

_jeangrey__: 'k, u too_

_2.17am__ **user jeangrey has logged off**_

_2.20am__ **user slim_shadey has logged off**_

            Scott was left staring at his computer screen for some time. The monotonous buzz of the computer fans was the only thing that could be heard. Paul was quiet and snug as a bug in his bed, while he sat pondering what was happening to Jean. The last time something catastrophic happened was back at Bayville High, and it was not nearly two years ago. The professor had reassured her that it was just her powers expanding, and she possibly had limitless potential to develop. But Scott could not shrug off the feeling that something bad was looming over the horizon. He soon fell fast asleep on his desk.

***

            Scott could not have been happier when his last class had ended and the summer holidays began. He had packed his bags a few days beforehand and dashed off to join the crowd on the highway. He was also well aware that Ororo had come to accompany Jean back to the institute the day before. They had feared she would have another lapse.

***

            There was a knock on the heavy oak door of the professor's office.

            "Come in Jean."

            "Good morning Professor."

            "Morning Jean, I trust that you are well rested?"

            "Yes, the psi-shielding of my old room helped greatly." Jean sat herself down on one of the chairs opposite the professor.

            "It has come to my attention that you've recently been experiencing these mood changes," the professor steepled his fingers.

            "I feel my telepathy has become off as of late. I'm starting to hear these voices again..." Jean waved her arms about for emphasis, "and I've had some nightmares."

            "Nightmares?"

            "Yes. Nightmares of fire. Fire burning people. It was horrible." Jean buried her head in her hands and rested them on the table. "I had one last year, of Annie's death, and the fire burned the doctor and nurses. They who took me." She mumbled through her palms. "The dreams were gone for awhile, then they came back, together with the voices. Then the fire started burning other people as well."

            "This fire which you speak of, what was the source of it?"

            "It was me." Jean slowly lifted her head to look at the professor. There was pain and fear in her eyes.

            "It happens when I'm angry, when I'm angry at something, or _someone_. The fire burns brighter when I'm angry."

            Charles Xavier was slightly dumbfounded at this revelation. He collected himself. "And the voices?"

            "It's like before, when I'm in crowded places. Professor, is there something wrong with my shields?"

            He reached out his fingers and placed them on Jean's temple. He started to gently probe her mind. "Your shields are perfectly fine Jean. Maybe it's just the stress of school and your new environments."        

            "Perhaps. But I can't help feel it's something else..." her weak voice trailed away.

            The professor's expression turned grim. "You'd like to suspend your next term? Maybe it'll be better for you to return to the institute for awhile, so you can better develop your suppressed telepathy. I would appear that I've shielded you too much as a child for your own good."

            "No, no, I'll be fine. I think this holiday period should be sufficient."

            "Are you sure, Jean? I could always explain to the board..."

            "I think you're right, it's just the stress. Nothing I can't handle," Jean flashed a weak smile.

            "Alright, but be sure to notify us immediately if anything goes wrong."

            "I will Professor." Jean got up and gave him a hug.

            "We're always here for you Jean. And get some rest."

            Jean made her way towards the doors.

            "We're having a gathering of the new students this afternoon. Are you interested to join us?"

            "Nah, I think I'll use the time to catch up on some sleep."

***

            It was way past three in the afternoon when Scott arrived back at the institute. The traffic situation in New York City was unbelievable. As he pulled into the institute's front gates (he had remembered to ask for his entrance code the day before), he noticed a construction crew putting up the finishing touches to a new wing of the institute. Part of the woods next to the institute had given way to this new addition. Scott eased his car into the garage. He noticed Jean's SUV to the other end of the row of vehicles.

            "Hey Logan!"

            "Hey kid."

            "What's up with the new building?"

            "We've got ourselves a whole bunch of new recruits. They've just left for a tour of the institute. Enrolment for the fall period."

            "Ah." So, the institute would be getting itself more students.

            "There's Sam's sister Paige, dunno what she really does except shed skin. Dani we gotta know last year from that biking incident, she's finally agreed ta school with us. Theresa Cassidy, Sean's daughter. Sean's an ol' friend of Charles, and apparently she's like father like daughter, complete with ta Irish accent, but rather quiet. Then there's a teleporter like Kurt, Clarice, supersonic flyin twins Jean-Paul and Jean-Marie, and Jonothon Starmore, haven't seen da kid and dunno what's it he does either. Oh, and Jubes and Rahne are back."

            "Great. So I assume that's what the new wing is for. Dorms?"

            "Yup, and classrooms."

            "Classrooms?"

            "Charles' thinkin o' turnin this place into a real school. He thinks it might be starting ta be dangerous for 'em out there."

            "So, when do you guys start hiring?"

            Logan shrugged. "When ya guys finish schoolin?"

            "But I'm only one guy. I'm not sure about Jean though."

            "Kitty and Kurt've expressed interest in becomin instructors, as well as Amara and Bobby."

            "Bobby as a teacher?" That was a thought.

            "Ya betta believe it Slim."

            "Anyway, how's Jean?" The small talk was over, and he really hoped she was alright.

            "I last saw her with Charles. 'Ro brought lunch up ta her room. Hasn't been out since mornin."

            "I think I'll go check in on her." That was his real interest in coming back to the institute anyway.

            "Well, I think ya should."

***

            Scott climbed the foyer stairs and turned down a familiar hallway. The mansion was quite empty on the whole as everyone else was out exploring the mansion grounds, or relaxing by the pool. He knocked softly on Jean's door, and waited for her answer. Jean gave the door a telekinetic tug open. She was hovering slightly her bed cross-legged, exercising a meditation technique she had been taught by the professor as a child. Upon sensing Scott entering, she lowered herself down onto the covers, her knees drawn up to her chest.

            "Hey," Scott greeted softly, closing the door behind him. Jean just looked up and acknowledged his presence with a soft smile. His normally vocal Jean was unusually silent.

            "You okay?" He sat down beside her, drawing her closer to him. He began rubbing small circles on her back.

            "I...I don't know..." She looked as if she was about to cry.

            "Jean? You wanna tell me what's wrong?" Scott frowned, and he was not sensing much emotion from her either through the link. It was as though she consciously shut off projecting through their link.

            "I...I just want you to hold me." Her arms gripped his waist and she buried her head into his shoulder. They sat there like this for awhile, until Jean slipped into dreamland and Scott laid her back onto the bed. He drew up a chair beside the bed so he could watch her sleep, but slumber had claimed him soon after.

***

            _"Wake up Jean...wake up..."_

            "Huh? What?" Jean stirred and rubbed at her eyes.

            _"Come, I sense this great power..."_

            "Who are you? What do you want?" Jean surveyed her bedroom anxiously. Scott was fast asleep in his chair, head and arms sprawled across her bed.

            _"Come, and you shall see..."_

            "Go where?" Jean voiced aloud. She was not hallucinating, was she? It could not have been the voices. Her room was shielded, and Scott was projecting nothing.

            _"Come..."_ the voice trailed off into the distance. Jean scrambled to her feet to follow that mysterious voice. Where was it taking her?

            The voice led her to the elevator and down to the sub-basement.

            _"Come..."_

            "Where?"

            _"Come..."_ the source appeared to come from Cerebro. Jean placed her palm on the scanner for admittance.

            _"Yes...Come..."_

            "Where are you? What are you?!" Part of her was curious, yet part of her was frightened. She took timid steps to the end of the bridge and Cerebro's control panels. She positioned her body to the level of the panels and adjusted the headpiece over her head. Then she started Cerebro, and within moments, felt her mind being pulled from her body and onto the Astral Plane.

            "Where am I?"

            _"The Astral Plane. The galaxy where great minds come to meet."_

            Jean recognised the place. She had fought with her mentor once when he was possessed by the evil being known as Apocalypse. Now, she came face to face with a splitting image of herself, only her other self was shrouded in flames. The flaming figure from her dreams.

            "Who...who are you? What are you doing in my head?!"

            The figure morphed into the form of Annie. Sweet little Annie.

            "Annie?"

            _"It's alright Jean. It's me."_

            Jean approached the little girl warily. Then, she started multiplying. And she started changing. Then, Jean found herself surrounded by the doctors and nurses, those horrible people from the sanatorium, and then there was Colleen. She was laughing at her, while the doctors barked orders at the nurses. They were coming to take her away. Not again...

***

            "No! Jean!" Scott awoke with a start. "Jean?" She was not in her room. The bedsheets were creased and cool to the touch. It indicated that she had been gone for sometime. Maybe she decided to go down to the kitchen to get a drink or take a walk around the mansion. But something did not feel right about this. He bolted out the door and down the hall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the elevator had been taken down to the sub-basement level. No one had been scheduled for Danger Room practice today, to his knowledge. Curiosity got the better of him, that he should give the sub-basement a quick check.

            The corridors were eerily cold and silent. No one was down here, it seemed. That was until he heard screams coming from inside Cerebro.

            "Jean? Jean!" Scott made a mad dash for Cerebro and pounded on the heavy metal doors, but found it locked. Cerebro had been engaged, and only the professor had the overrides to Cerebro. He hurried upstairs to call for help.

***

            "Stop it! STOP IT!" Jean screamed, almost hysterically. She put her hands to her ears as she tried to block out the voices and squirm out of the nurses' grasps.

            _"Feel the great power within you. You just don't wanna fight them."_

            Jean screamed some more. She resisted the temptation, but could not fight the urge anymore. She did not want to hurt these people, but they were hurting her. She felt the flames creep from her fingertips. Her eyes were ablaze as she started throwing fire at them. They started to burn again, and it felt great to see them burn. She was angry, and they should burn.

***

            "What's she doing down there?" Logan voiced as he paced towards Cerebro alongside Scott and the professor.

            "I don't know!"

            "Yer s'pposed ta be lookin after her!"

            They came to a halt in front of Cerebro as Charles Xavier keyed in the emergency overrides. This shut down all the power that was fed to Cerebro and ended all activities.

***

            Jean stood watching as the people burned. Suddenly, the mirage faded.

            _"No! NO!"_ Jean heard the voice disappear into the distance as well, before collapsing onto the bridge unconscious.

            The doors slid open and the three men rushed to her side.

            "Jean? Jean?" Scott shook her unconscious form. He removed the headpiece and cradled her wet forehead.

            "Whatever she was doing down here appears to have rendered her unconscious, for the moment." Charles Xavier spoke gravely.

            "What in hell's name was she doing down 'ere?"

            "I don't know Logan." The professor appeared as stunned as the rest of them. "I don't know."

***

            When Jean came to, she found herself back in her bed again. The mysterious voice was gone, but she had a massive migraine. Scott was gripping her left hand while the professor, in his wheel-chair, was on her right.

            "What happened?" She mumbled as she felt Scott press something cool to her forehead.

            "You were engaging Cerebro in some form of activity. I've accessed the log but it appears to be unrecorded activity, like Cerebro was not activated at all. Do you remember what happened?"

            "I...I heard this voice, and followed it down to Cerebro. It told me to burn all those people...then...I don't remember...and my head hurts..."

            "Get some rest Jean. We'll talk about this tomorrow." Charles Xavier fingered the switch of his automated wheel-chair, spinning it around and proceeded for the door. He motioned for Scott to leave the room as well. She needed some time alone to herself.

***

            Jean awoke the next morning. It was bright and sunny outside. Her huge migraine was mostly gone. She crawled up from bed and washed up. Then she will go find Scott and head down for breakfast. She walked down the hall to his room. His door was not locked, and she always had this habit of letting herself in and forgetting to knock. The shower was running in the bathroom, so she sat on his bed and waited. Her eyes drifted to his laptop and his open inbox. He had accessed his email. Jean scooted closer to get a better look. Most of the messages were from Paul, and a couple of administrative stuff, but there was this one message received from Colleen.

            Jean felt the anger, pain and disgust rage from within her. _This is stupid Jean._ But there was always a "what if" was there not? Besides, he had expressed interest before; she had felt it that night. Maybe he was just keeping it from her; Scott was always good with his mental blocks. He would not two-time anyone, would he?

            She heard the shower being turned off. She hesitated to remain in his room, but she just could not bring herself to meet his eyes. She left swiftly, and started tearing when she walked out the door.

            "Jean?" Scott peered from the bathroom. At one glance the room was empty. His door was ajar and he poked his head out into the corridor, but saw no one there. He shrugged. Maybe it was just the wind from his open window, but he had clearly sensed someone in the room. Walking over to his desk and computer as he dried his hair, he spared no second glance at the most recently accessed email and deleted it. He would read the rest later, after breakfast. He made his way over to Jean's room, but saw she was not in her room. Perhaps, she had gone down for breakfast, he hoped.

            His back turned as he hit the stairs, he did not notice Jean hiding in the shadows at the end of the hall in one isolated corner. She pressed herself against the wall, letting her tears fall. Why was he doing this to her?

            It took her sometime before she managed to calm herself down and dried her tears. If she was lucky, there would still be some breakfast left.

            Jean spent the rest of the holidays trying to avoid Scott, and cooped up in her room, only allowing the professor to tend to her (telepathy) once in awhile, and Ororo to bring her her meals. Scott was told she did needed rest and did not want to be disturbed. He found out the hard way when she threw a chair at him on his first attempt at visiting her. But he could not comprehend why she suddenly became so angry with him. Over the next few days, their link had reduced to the static buzz of their college stay. And he had begun to worry that something was truly wrong with her.


	5. Chapter Five

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13 overall, language, _possibly_ R for implications

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: There's a teeny bit that might require reading with discretion, be warned. Once again, thanks for all who reviewed!

***

Chapter Five

            Fall went by swiftly as the winter winds which were brought into New York. The first snowfall heralded the impending holidays for which the students were thankful, but it seemingly brought little cheer to Jean, who was once so fond of winter snow. In fact, the cold, dreadful weather brought even more misery to her. Misty had noticed Jean's apparent change in behaviour, but she had expressed no desire to discuss her troubles, and Misty did not find it in her to probe further either. Maybe some things were better left unsaid. Her brilliant smile and radiance had deserted her, and Jean was reduced to a mere shadow of herself. She had devoted herself entirely to her studies, refusing to step out of their room for reasons other than class or food, but most of the time, she even had Misty bring her dinner. Jean would awaken from nightmares, more frequent than usual, and would cry herself to sleep. Misty had gotten up a few times in the middle of the night, and offered Jean comfort and a listening ear. At times, Jean would be temperamental and slash out at her; on other occasions, she would just weep like a frightened child. Misty was at a loss how to deal with Jean's erratic behaviour. She had never witnessed such a drastic change in anyone before.

            For the first time, Jean would not return to the institute. She preferred to remain with her parents, and maybe the tranquillity and familiarity of her neighbourhood would do her some good. She had always been Daddy's baby girl, and the frightened child in her just wanted to be held in his arms again. She had come home red-eyed, half sobbing and half choking on her tears and spent most of her Christmas huddled in her father's armchair as she had done when she was younger. Her nephew and niece, barely able to walk, brought her candy canes and her favourite chocolate-covered cherries, which she accepted graciously, but ate none.

            The first night, she dreamt of the girl in flames again.

            _"You brought everything upon yourself. You should have finished her when you had the chance."_

"Stop it! Stop haunting me! Just go away!"

            Then she heard evil laughter. _"Don't come crying to me when you need help."_

            "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Jean screamed as she shot up in bed, pale and shaken, and extremely hot. _No, not again..._

            She heard the flick of light switches, and the sound of running footsteps. The twins next door stirred and started wailing as she burst into sobs herself. She heard her father's soothing voice and felt his arms around her. She repositioned herself and cried into his shoulder.

            "Elaine, get me an ice pack, Jean's running a fever."

            "Jean?" John laid her down and caressed her forehead.

            "Daddy, just make her go away..." Jean's mumble was almost incoherent.

            "Make who go away sweetie?"

            "The girl from my dreams..." Jean fell back into slumber.

***

            The nights that followed allowed Jean peaceful slumber. The girl in her dreams had simply vanished. She could not comprehend it, but was nonetheless thankful for ample rest. She recovered on Christmas day and some of the glow returned to her cheeks. Jean adored the attention lavished on her by her family and was most delighted when Joey and Gailyn offered to share their Christmas toys with her. She received a call from the institute that afternoon.

            "Jean, Kitty from Xavier's is on the phone," Sarah passed the phone to Jean, who was lazing in bed.

            "Jean?"

            "Hey Kitty."

            "How are you? The prof said you were like sick a few days ago."

            "Getting better," Jean smiled at Kitty's concern.

            "You aren't coming back? I especially came from Illinois to see you guys." Kitty had started her university term this fall back in Illinois. Jean heard the vague hint of a 'bamf' in the background on the other side of the line. "Oh, and Kurt says hi."

            "Tell him I said hi too." Jean was glad to know she still had friends who cared. Then, she heard another faint mumble in the background. There was a considerable pause at the end of the other line.

            "Scott like wants to talk to you. I'll call you back later." Kitty handed the phone over to Scott.

            Jean's expression hardened and her free hands gripped at her sheets. "Why do you even bother?" She was already half-screaming into the phone.

            "Wait don't. Don't hang up Jean."

            "What more have you got to say for yourself?"

            "What's wrong Jean? What are you talking about?"

            "You know very well what I'm talking about."

            "What?"

            "Her."

            "Who?"

            "Stop lying Summers!"

            "Jean?"

            "Don't Jean me okay? Look, I think it's just best that we take some time away from each other."

            "Why?"

            "I just want to. Is that reason enough?"

            "It's him is it?"

            "What him?"

            "You've been acting strangely the past term. You've ignored my calls and emails."

            "So now you're blaming me like it's my problem?!"

            "I never said it was your problem!"

            "Fine. Don't ever call me again. It's over between us."

            "Jean? Listen to me Jean..."

            Jean threw the phone across the room. It skidded across the floor and missed the wall. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs and cried into them. When Kitty called that night again, Jean cried once more into the phone.

***

            It was a weird feeling, but getting that off her chest surprisingly made Jean feel much better. And she did not have bad dreams anymore. Maybe things were beginning to look up for her. The next school term rolled by and Jean was ever glad to see Misty again. Misty was also delighted that Jean looked happier and healthier and back to her sociable self once more. Though Scott's calls had initially been persistent for the first few months, Jean continually ignored them, and eventually, he seemingly gave up trying.

            The next time their lives crossed paths was a fine May day. That Saturday, Scott found himself wondering about downtown. As he passed a café, he heard laughter fill the air, and one was unmistakably Jean's. There were three others at the table, all of whom which he did not recognize -- a blonde, a Chinese girl and a guy. But wait, did the guy not fit Jean's previous description bill for Ted? He observed as the four sipped coffee and laughed at the guy's jokes as he engaged Jean in a game of footsie. Scott satisfied his curiosity. He had been right that Christmas, and he was not in a forgiving mood right now. He crossed the street and walked far away from that café.

***

            Scott turned twenty-one on his next birthday, and there was cause for much celebration, and predictably, they dragged him out drinking, but Lee was shy of being twenty-one so regretfully, she could not join them yet. So it was just him, Paul and Colleen. They started with a couple of rounds of beer, then Paul left their table to join some girls on the dance floor. The girls he had been dancing with insisted that he go along with them to another bar down the street, and he obliged, leaving Scott and Colleen behind.

            "Perhaps you want something stronger?" Colleen watched as Scott downed another beer.

            "I can't believe she did that to me..." he was feeling slightly woozy, but he did not care, "...and yeah..."

            Colleen called for some tequila and she fed him from her fingers. He appreciated the gesture and sucked on her fingertips. He was getting drunk, but she insisted that he had more to drink. His vision was blurring, and for a moment, the red lights overhead brought out the reddish hue in Colleen's hair, and it only appeared redder through his shades. _Jean..._

            Colleen tried to coax him onto the dance floor, but he could barely stand for long and fell forward onto her. "Jean..." he whispered, intoxicated and peppered Colleen's neck and shoulder with butterfly kisses. A devious smile played across her features. She had him exactly where she wanted, curled around her finger. She led him out of the bar by her fingers.

            "Wheeerree'sss Paaauuul..." he slurred as she managed, with slight difficulty to get him into the passenger front seat of his car.

            "He left with the girls. Don't worry, I'm here," she got into the driver's seat and drove off.

            "I'mm juuusst glaaaadd you'rrree baaackk Jeeeeaan..."

***

            The both of them made their way up the stairs, half kissing and half stumbling (well, he did most of the stumbling). They made rather incoherent noises along the corridor and he fumbled with his keys, dropping them twice before managing to get the door open. The door was closed with a bit too much force, not loud, but enough to wake the neighbours. It was with this that Lee was startled awake. She heard noises from the room next door. The boys must be back, and had obviously drunk themselves drunk. Colleen would probably be back soon as well, unless she ran off with some other guy again. She tried to ignore her neighbours and turned on her side and forced herself back to sleep.

            Colleen's back was against the door and Scott's breath was heavy on her lips. She weaved her fingers into his hair while he trailed kisses down her neck. Soft moans escaped her lips. Scott pressed his body closer against Colleen's as she held onto his neck and shoulders for leverage and leapt onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist while her lips worked feverishly on his mouth and her hands on his belt buckle. His hands went to work on the zipper of her dress carrying her to his bed. When he sat her down he tugged at her black dress and pulled it over her head. She grinned slyly at him and worked at his shirt buttons while he shrugged his pants off. Rid of his articles of clothing, he eased down onto the bed, but accidentally bumped his head on the headboard. He cursed and Colleen laughed, before capturing his lower lip and pulling him down onto the bed with her.

***

            Lee awoke again to the sound of something making contact with the wall by her head. What on earth were the guys doing up at this hour? She forced her eyelids open, and yawned. Seeing that Colleen's bed was vacant and unmade, she was probably in someone else's. She was about to fall back into bed when she heard vague (and heated?) moans and groans coming from next door. There was a gasp followed by a scream which lasted two seconds before it was abruptly swallowed. It sounded like a girl, and Lee considered getting up to check it out, but exhaustion had claimed her and she fell asleep once more.

            But her sleep was interrupted once more later into the night. Someone was standing outside her door, swearing and jamming keys into the lock, trying to open her door.

            "Colleen?" Lee crawled from under her covers and shuffled her feet to the door, stifling yet another yawn. She looked into the peeping hole. "Paul?"

            Lee opened the door and Paul fell onto her. She was grateful that she was strong enough to withstand his weight.

            "Whaaat arrre yoouu doooing heeerre?"

            "I should be asking you what are you doing at my door. Come, let's get you back to your room." She slung his arm over her shoulder and dragged him five feet down the hall.

            Lee knocked lightly on the door. "Scott? You in there? Open up. It's Lee, I've got Paul. Scott?" She knocked again. She had clearly heard him enter the room earlier in the night. But this did not add up. She heard _two_ people enter, and that other person was not Paul.

            "Scott? Open up." Lee knocked again. Still, there was no answer and Paul was becoming deadweight. She released him and sat him down on the floor while she retrieved Paul's keys on her doorstep. If you wanted to do something right, you had to do it yourself. 

            Lee opened the door to Scott and Paul's room. It was in total darkness. She flicked the hall switch, and the room lit up slightly. She saw a trail of clothes that led to the foot of Scott's bed. His covers were lumpy and he appeared to be fast asleep. The room was in quite a mess. What had happened in here?

            "Scott?" Lee squinted. She took a few steps into the room, careful not to trip over the mess on the floor. "Are you alright?"

            Scott mumbled in his sleep, and shifted his position a bit, to reveal part of another person's body underneath him. No wait, she recognized the bracelet on that wrist.

            "Ohmygod!" Lee squealed, and immediately put her hands over her mouth, realising this had caused the sleeping figures to stir.

            "Lee?" Scott mouthed as his hands felt for his glasses before he opened his eyes and took a good look at a flabbergasted Lee standing before him. Colleen let out a shriek and hugged the covers close to her chest. It took Scott awhile to register the situation he was currently in at that point in time. He had a shocked Lee staring down at him and an undressed Colleen in his bed. He put two and two together. Oh lord, what had he done?

            "Lee?"

            "Get out!" Colleen shrieked again and Scott put his hand over her mouth to shut her up. They'd caused enough commotion.

            "Scott, I thought I'd known you better..." Lee was shaken. She retraced her steps carefully backwards.

            "Lee? Lee, please don't tell anyone..." _Not Jean..._

            Lee stepped out, hugging herself. Paul was still sprawled against the wall along the corridor.

            "Whaaat haaapeeeneeed?"

            "Just don't ask!" She did not mean to scream at Paul, but she did not know what else to do.

            Lee heard more shouting from Scott's room. He was shouting, and Colleen was screaming. At the rate they were going, they would wake the entire dorm in a matter of minutes. But that was their problem. Lee then heard a loud slap, and in a minute, out stepped a half-dressed, piqued Colleen. Lee glared at her with disgust.

            "What?!" Colleen hissed.

            "I think I've had had enough. I'll go crash with Phoebe and Yvonne."

            "Fine!" Colleen slammed the door shut to her own room while Lee walked three doors down the hall and disappeared into another room.

            Scott sat up in his bed, a sharp pain pierced through his skull. Reality and guilt, plus a hangover, started to sink in. What had he done?

***

            For the next few days, Lee was still visibly shaken from her encounter. And keeping it to herself was becoming twice as hard, and unbearable. She was not one who would go about gossiping, but if she did not tell someone, she felt her head was going to burst. But people were going to know sooner or later right? And Colleen was not exactly secretive with her messy love life either. It just did not occur to Lee that she would play Scott as well. And how was Jean going to take it? Lee knew that they had sort of broken up, and Scott was quite distraught at that fact, but it did not mean Jean would not react to it any differently than she would have if they were still attached, would she?

            She was wondering through the park, thinking that the fresh air would clear her mind a little. She was careful to steer clear of the way of others, lowering her head so she could avoid recognising people. She did not want to be one to start the rumour mill. But fate would intervene once more and she should meet Misty that fateful day in the park.

            Misty was heading back to Columbia with some groceries in hand. From among the stream of people, her sharp eyes picked out Lee (who was quite tall and blonde), eyes on her feet as she walked aimlessly.

            "Lee? Lee!"

            Lee heard someone call her name. "Misty?" She looked up.

            "Hey, fancy meeting you here!"

            "Hey."

            "Are you okay? You don't look too good."

            "I'm fine...how's Jean?"

            "Funny you should ask that, but she's doing quite fine."

            "He'll be glad to know."

            "Well then, what about Scott?"

            "Scott? Well...er..." Lee stammered a bit. She was not really good at this lying thing, and furthermore, how was she going to pull it off in front of a to-be psychologist?

            "Well what? Is something wrong Lee? Did something happen?"

            "Not...Nothing..."

            Misty looked into Lee's eyes. "Lee. What's wrong?"

            "Nothing Jean should know about." Now Lee wished she had swallowed her words.

            "Know what? Did something bad happen to Scott?"

            "You could say that...but, could we find somewhere quieter? It's too open here to talk about it." _Way to go Lee, you've blown it._

***

            "That son of a bitch! Wait till I get my hands on him..."

            "Misty please, don't tell Jean okay?"

            "Why shouldn't I?" Misty looked as if she was ready to pulverise someone.

            "Scott'll kill me."

            "I'll kill him."

            "Please, I don't want Jean to get hurt. And he means well. Maybe it's just better that she shouldn't find out." Lee was looking a little remorseful. Her and her big mouth.

            "Then why did you tell me? How would I know if she did not try to weasel anything out of me?"

            "I...just needed to tell someone. Y'know how hard it's been for me to keep something like this to myself? I know he doesn't deserve a defence, but the whole world doesn't need to know about it either. But I can't let Jean know and not know. I...don't know anymore."

            "Why are you acting as if you are taking the blame for something you did not do?"

            "I found them out."

            "Lee, you had nothing to do with it." Misty stole a glance at her watch. "Look, I'd loved to stay longer, but I've gotta go."

            "Just don't let her know." Lee managed to squeak out.

            "Got it. But I won't guarantee she would not find out." Misty waved to Lee and walked off.

            Lee sat there still, watching Misty's silhouette disappear. She hoped she had not messed up greatly.

***

_Please feedback! :) And please be gentle. (Yes Optic, I hear ya! ;)) Updates are once weekly, so check back next week for chapter 6. *runs off to hide*_


	6. Chapter Six

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: Rating: PG-13 overall, language, _possibly_ R for implications

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: There's a teeny bit that might require reading with discretion, be warned. Rogue meets Carol Denvers, but not in the (traditional) way you'd expect. And no, Carol had not been manipulated by aliens (Kree); just consider her a _normal_ mutant with strength and flight (only).

On Colleen, this is the impression I get of her from the comics itself. Oh, don't worry I think that was the last of her. :) Yes Lyranfan, I'm short of digging up Maddie, Betsy and Emma, but we don't really want to go there now do we? ;)

On OCC Scott, if you've followed the comics throughout the years, I wouldn't really say he's _that_ OCC *cough*New X-Men & Emma Frost*cough* (Okay, Apocalypse screwed his brain, but still!)

Optic: No offences taken; I was quite amused actually *dons armour and summons her muse army...muahahaha* XD I was kinda expecting such a (mixed) response considering the shocker I pulled ;) But rest assured I still hate Morrison to the core.

Jen: Hmm...about Scott *thinks awhile* I really don't know why lol.

And thanks to the rest who reviewed. :)

PS: For those who don't already know, I've started a jott forum. http://jott.forumer.com Hop by and visit; but you'll have to register first cause it's a private forum ;) Okay, enough rambling.

***

Chapter Six

            Summertime graces the northern hemisphere once again. The coming fall semester would prove crucial for Jean as she was due to receive her undergraduate degree in Biology from Barnard so she could graduate into Columbia proper. She had opted to remain on campus (for most of the holiday duration) to prepare for her finals. Scott on the other hand had accompanied his brother Alex to Alaska to visit their grandparents.

***

            "Kurt, tell me again why ah we skiin in the middle o' summah?" Rogue tugged at her gloves to make sure they stayed on.

            "Oh come on Rogue, it'll be like so much fun. Besides, everyone like skis in the winter and it like gets way crowded then. And it was Kurt's idea," Kitty directed that remark at Kurt.

            "Ya could've just brought Kitty. Ah'm not very good at this skiin thing 'ither."

            "Vell, I vanted to spend some time vith my favourite sister. And ve needed to escape zhat nuthouse too."

            "Ah sure hope Logan and Storm ah holding out alright."

            "They'll be like fine. I'm sure we like gave them a lot more hell. Like, see you at the bottom guys!" With that, Kitty took off in her skis.

            "Last one down there owes us a treat!" Kurt gave Rogue a little wave and chased after Kitty as she sped down the snowy slopes.

            "Yeah, sure," Rogue was preparing to set off, when a particular conversation caught her attention.

            "Please sir, you've gotta help me find my daughter." A middle aged woman approached one of the ski lodge personals. 

            "Could you tell us what happened, Mrs..."

            "Denvers. My daughter Carol went skiing with her brother, but my son hadn't seen her for the past hour when he reached the end of the course. He searched the route he took, but he couldn't find her." The woman sounded pretty anxious.

            "Don't worry Mrs Denvers. We'll despatch a search party to find her. How does she look like?"

            "She's about fifteen, short blonde hair..."

            Rogue decided that she would not be such a nosey-parker and set off in search of Kitty and Kurt before she had to fork out a treat. And considering how much Kurt was likely to eat...

            The weather was calm, as at this time of the year, the only snow appeared high up in the mountains. Rogue made her way swiftly down the slopes, but half-way down the mountain it was just her luck that she was tripped and fell over.

            "Damn skis!" She cursed under her breath. Well, she was right about the fact because she did indeed trip over a ski. Rogue picked herself up and brushed the snow off her jacket and pants. The ski that was the cause of her little accident stuck out of the snow almost perpendicular to the mountain slope. A few feet from it, another one stuck out in a similar fashion. One glance in that direction, she saw the ski poles and then a coniferous tree that grew precariously along the edge of what seemed to be a cliff (with a dislodged portion). Its top was broken off in the most peculiar way, and some branches were scattered about. Rogue discarded her skis and poles and wandered carefully to the edge of the cliff. What happened here?

            There was not much except for the missing top of the tree and a whole lot of fresh snow. But upon scrutiny, Rogue saw a limp hand sticking out of the jumbled heap of snow and branches.

            "Oh gawd..." She wondered for a few seconds what to do. Seeing there was no one in the vicinity and none likely to come upon hearing her shouts. Was that the missing girl? And how did she get down there? One just did not go skiing off a cliff and having _only_ the top of a tree fall onto you.

            Rogue decided she had to rescue the girl and approached the steep cliff face in an attempt to climb to the ledge below, which was quite far down actually. Rogue made it half-way down, before the fabric of her right glove got caught in a crevice the same time as she lost her footing and slipped, losing her right glove in this instance, and falling onto the ledge with a noticeable hard landing followed by a string of curses.

            Rogue got up and stared upwards. Great, how was she going to get this girl up there? It was near impossible to get back up to the top, unless you could fly. But maybe if she waited long enough, someone would come by. They had that search party right?

***

            "Rogue should be like here by now."          

            "I haven't seen her 'ither. I zhought she vas right behind me."

            "Should we like go find her?"

            "You vait here, I'll start from ze top."

***

            The branches were heavier that she thought as Rogue attempted to lift them off the girl. She appeared to be unconscious and the awkward position of her left leg could indicate that it was broken. Rogue certainly hoped it was not the case. She had wished for Blob's or Colossus' strength; it was quite a portion of tree that had fallen onto the blonde girl across her chest. From Rogue's view, she seemed relatively unharmed, except for minor grazes and cuts. She heard a murmur; the girl was stirring. Rogue continued to work on the tree, but it seemingly refused to budge, and the splinters were getting into the exposed skin of her right hand.

            "Heeelp meee..." the voice was weak and faint. The girl was just swimming to the surface of consciousness. Rogue did not see the girl reach out with her free hand to grab onto hers. Rogue felt an icy cold touch, but the next thing she knew, the girl was gripping onto her right hand.

            _Oh shit...let go...please..._Rogue tried to release her hand from the grip of the girl's frozen fingers but too no avail. The girl was unusually strong, and any moment now that she held on any longer, Rogue would start to drain her life force. "Heeelp meee..."

            "Lemme go if ya want me to!" But Rogue felt her powers kick in and energy flow into her. And the longer the girl held onto her, the more life force poured into Rogue. What followed were bloodcurdling screams from both parties as Rogue struggled to free herself. When she finally managed to, the girl had slipped back into unconsciousness.

            "Oh no...oh no...dammit..." _not another one..._Her and her cursed powers. Rogue panicked. She had better get this girl medical attention quickly. With one heave, she literally tossed the branch off the ledge. It did not occur to her how easily she did that when she could not even move that thing an inch previously. Now she wondered how she was going to get the girl up the cliff.

            "Rogue?" She looked up hearing her name called.

            "Kurt? Oh gawd am ah glad to see ya!"

            In no time, Kurt had them teleported to safety.

            "Vhat happened?"

            "Ah found 'er down thar. Ah didn't mean it, but she wouldn't let go..."

            "Vhat are you saying Rogue?"

            "Ah absorbed her...but it was an accident ah swear!"

            "You two, search there!" Rogue and Kurt heard someone bark orders from a distance.

            "They're coming for 'er."

            "Zhis girl?"

            "Yeah, she was missin. You and Kitty had left when ah heard 'em."

            "Ay! O'er 'ere!" The two waved frantically at the search party which approached them. "Ah think we've found the gal you're lookin for."

            "Thank god. What happened?"

            "She fell o'er the cliff ah think."

            "But ve managed to get her up here."

            "She's unconscious. We better get her back quickly." They missed it when Rogue cringed at that statement and bit her lip.

            "Be careful, ah think she might've broken 'er leg too."

***

            Kitty rejoined Rogue and Kurt at the top of the mountain where they were tending to the unconscious girl.

            "What's wrong with her?" Mrs Denvers exclaimed worriedly. Carol was not responding to any method they tried to revive her.

            "I don't know. She appears to be in a comatose state, but she didn't sustain any injuries to her head," The paramedic shone a pentorch into the girl's eyes, "which is unusual."

            Rogue was nervously fidgeting in her seat. She knew she was responsible for the girl's state, but what was she to do? Tell them?

            "Miss? Would you like me to have a look at that?" Another standby paramedic gestured to her right hand.

            "Ah'm fayne." She replied curtly.

            "It looks pretty bad," he reached out, wanting to examine her hand closer.

            "Don't touch me!" Rogue absently flung her hand outwards. It hit the paramedic and threw him forcefully across the room, hitting the opposite wall.

            "Rogue?"

            Rogue was starting to get nervous. She did not need to be discovered yet again. But it was happening all over again, just like it did with Cody. She was dazed for a moment, and the next thing she knew, Rogue found herself hovering over all the people, her body pressed flat against the high ceiling. She screamed.

            "Rogue? Oh my god! Like what are you doing?"

            "Get me down!" Rogue screamed.

            The people down below looked equally shocked.

            Instinctively, Kurt teleported and got Rogue off the ceiling, to no avail, she still floated upwards, defying gravity.

            "Muties! What have you done with my daughter?!"

            "They saved your daughter that's what!" Kitty half-yelled in reply.

            "Security! Get them muties!" The woman shouted, cradling her daughter's head protectively.

            "What about the one on the ceiling?"

            "I don't know! Just do something!"

            Carol was sent to a nearby hospital shortly after. It had taken Rogue a couple of hours, but when she finally calmed down, she just floated back down onto the ground. Security held them in custody, and the professor was flown in from Westchester to negotiate matters. They had no evidences to press charges against the three of them, so Kitty, Kurt and Rogue were released.

***

            "Professor?" Rogue sought him out in the library that evening.

            "Yes Rogue? Come in. Kurt mentioned that you caused quite a...commotion...this afternoon."

            "Ah don't know what happened. Ah lost mah glove tryin to save 'er, and she grabbed mah hand, and ah absorbed 'er. Then ah suddenly had increased strength, and ah could fly." Rogue did not know how to react to this revelation.

            "How much of her life force did you absorb Rogue?"

            "Ah don't know. But it must've been a lot, 'cause she's now in a coma. And it's all mah fault."

            "Wait, you said you suddenly developed new powers after absorbing that girl." Rogue nodded.

            Charles Xavier steepled his fingers. "It would then appear that this Carol Denvers happened to be a mutant, and you happened to absorb her powers by chance."

            "But it's not wearing off. Nothin' like this has ever happened."

            What Rogue eventually came to learn was that she had absorbed the girl's powers permanently, and Carol remained comatose for as long as Rogue could remember. But Rogue also did eventually learn how to fly.

            Unfortunately, that fateful afternoon at the ski lodge fuelled dormant anti-mutant hysteria. Mutants soon became the talk of the town once again, and people had begun to keep a close watch out for them.

***

            News had spread on campus, but majority of the students seemed more intrigued by this mysterious "flying" mutant. Jean had received news from the professor regarding this matter, and had hoped Rogue was well and adapting. But Jean was careful not to reveal herself on campus. Misty had stumbled onto her mutancy by accident, but she was good at keeping her secrets. And so a few months passed and the frenzy had died down on campus in place for the latest fall fashion catalogues.

            And that fall meant that she was due to graduate from Barnard. Jean was eagerly anticipating it, and when the results were released, it was a cause for joyous celebration, and her friends from Barnard dragged her partying. Truth be told, Jean did not fancy such forms of social entertainment and politely opted to sit out on the occasion and nurse her drink when the bunch hit the dance floor. Her thoughts drifted to Scott. She wondered how he was doing this past year. She had not heard from him, but half of the time, she had rather not. He was probably enjoying himself too much with that witch. That thought filled the pit of her stomach with bitter rage, and she washed it down with her drink. But the next thing she knew, the other shoe was going to drop.

            "Not enjoying yourself, Jean?" Ted came over to catch his breath and sit himself down beside her.

            "It's not that." She looked away. She was not feeling comfortable in this place either.

            "Don't you want to dance?" He put his arm over her shoulders. Jean scooted further across the seat.

            "I don't feel like it that's all." This time, his hand was on her knee, and his fingers were climbing.

            "Stop it." Jean shrugged him off.

            Ted noticed her glass was near empty and promptly called for another.

            "You're still thinking about him aren't you? Well, he sure ain't thinking about you. The other day, I heard this blonde tell Misty..." his voice trailed off into a whisper in her ear.

            At first Jean was disbelieving. Why had Misty not told her? Well, she was not one to go unethically telepathically reading people's minds. _Maybe you should have. _And to think she had tried to forgive him all this time. She had felt this urge to cry, but was he worth all the tears?

            "Hey Jean, what's wrong?"

            "Nothing."

            "Look, you haven't even touched your drink since we left."

            "But I..."

            "Oh come on Jean. You wouldn't want to waste it."

            Jean had a vague idea what alcohol could do to telepaths, but she did not count on the fact that after barely two cocktails, she could hardly walk in a straight line. Nevermind the third (they thought the second) one they dared her to drink. But it was true what they mentioned alcohol could do to you. She felt so high, and found almost everything ridiculously funny. And the lights above her were spinning; it was pretty.

            She was hiccupping and giggling in the parking lot as Ted led her back to the car. He was not all that coherent himself either, but Jean was in a worse state.

            The car was slightly warmer inside than it was outside, and Jean felt really sleepy. She wanted to go home to her comfy bed.

            "Jean?"

            "Hmm..." She mumbled as his fingers fiddled with her red locks, then the buttons on her blouse. She tried to brush his fingers off her, but they were defiant. She felt his breath on her as he trailed kisses down her neck and nipped at her collarbone. He got out of the driver's seat and crawled over her, embracing her while half-kneeling in an awkward position which the leg room of the front passenger seat would allow him.

            "Stop it..." Jean fought to regain consciousness. Alcohol apparently did not work well with telepaths. She was feeling very dizzy right now.

            But Ted's hands were all over her body and they tugged at her skirt, hitching it up to her waist, and then pulled at her underwear.

            "Stop..." He pressed his mouth against hers and inserted two fingers into her. Jean half gasped and half winced, and at that moment, realisation hit her. She mustered her strength and consciousness and telekinetically bashed him, albeit weakly, against the windscreen.

            "Why you bitch!" He threw himself forcefully onto Jean as she tried to struggle out of his grip. Sure, she was a telekinetic, but she could barely concentrate long enough to use her powers; it was as if alcohol had a dampening effect on her powers, if not, it was giving her one hell of a headache.

            "Stop it! Get off me!" Jean felt the temperature rise inside the car. Given all the struggling, it was a small wonder, but she was feeling hotter than usual. And she had not felt like that since...

            It was without warning that Ted was sent flying out of the vehicle in a flaming parabola. His clothes and hair were on fire, and this bizarre but appalling situation caught the attention of passers-by. But the man was not the only one caught in flames. There was another feminine figure in the car, and her limp body was raging in flames.

            "Oh my god! She's burning!" Someone tried to come to her aid and get her out of the car. Jean turned to stare at her supposed saviour. And the weirdest thing was, there were flames within the depths of her eyes as well.

            "Leave me alone!" She stretched out her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, flung him across the street, doused in flames. She then stepped out of the car, dishevelled and hysterical. If the men in her life wanted to play her, see how they would like playing with fire. Literally. But this fire was not real, it was all in the mind. Ted discovered this fact when he tried rolling over on the ground but could not put the fire out. He curled up in a foetal position as the flames engulfed him.

            "Poor little man..." Jean reached out and seemingly tugged at his mind. He grabbed his head in his hands and screamed in pain. As if his mind was a tangible object, it was wrenched and scorched, and having its every essence practically torn apart at a molecular level, leaving him cowering at her feet in a vegetative state, eyes widen open, and body spasming, as if he had a stroke. Jean just stood there and laughed. She was enjoying herself too much.

            "Stop it!"

            _"Says who? Admit it Jean. They're all like that. And you're having way too much fun."_

"Stop it! You're hurting people!" The flames started retreating. Jean staggered, head clutched in her hands. The world started spinning again.

            _"You're so pitiful. You're nothing without me!"_

"I thought I told you to leave me alone!" Jean stumbled backwards. Behind her, the cars eerily lifted themselves up, and Jean started telekinetically flinging them about randomly. But the more she struggled to keep the voice out of her head, the more violent she apparently became.

            _"Embrace the power! Let us be one!"_

            "NO!"

            The people in the vicinity fled in fear, but there were others who dared to oppose her.

            "There's the mutie bitch! Get her!"

            In response to that comment, Jean threw a car at them. Or that's what the voice commanded her body to do.

            "I won't let you do this!"

            _"Oh yes I will! I shall do as I please! Surrender to me!"_

            "NO!" Jean summoned her sanity to lower the remaining cars, and fled down an alley as the rest of the mob gave chase. She ran and ran, turning into corners and hiding in shadows until she lost them. Frantically, she tried to reach out to the one man who could help her.

            _Professor, help me...I think I almost killed him._

***

_As always, please review! *makes puppy dog eyes* Stay tuned for chap 7._


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Thank you all for the reviews. :)

***

Chapter Seven

_            Professor, help me...I think I almost killed him._

            For a brief moment, he was drawn from the bleak depth of his dreams into a back alley in New York City. He saw her quivering, flame-shrouded figure calling out to him. As Jean Grey passed out, Charles Xavier abruptly shot up upright in his bed.

            _Ororo__, Logan, I apologize at having to wake you at this hour, but I do need to see you in my quarters now._ He reached out with his mind to telepathically call for the institute's two instructors. They replied with haste and arrived at his door within minutes.

            "You called, Charles?" Ororo entered first, the corridor, though dimly lit illuminated her white mane, as she wrapped her robe around her.

            "Yeah, what's up Charles?" The shorter man followed.

            "Jean's in trouble. She's hurt."

            "What happened ta Red?"

            "I'm not fully sure myself."

            "You'd like us to fetch her back Charles?"

            "Please do Ororo. It's not safe for her out there, and I'd like her to be back sooner, so I can have Hank examine her."

            "So where's she?" Logan crossed his arms and tapped his toes.

            "I could not get an exact pin point on her location, but I could _show_ you the place." The professor closed his eyes and projected the same image Jean did so earlier.

            Logan and Ororo hurried off while the professor went in search for Hank to prep the medbay.

***

            "This is crazy 'Ro. He expects us ta search the 'hole of New York?"

            "I doubt she could have gotten out of Manhattan. You might want to try the vicinity of Columbia's campus first?" Ororo explained pointedly.

            "Right. Manhattan ain't that small 'ither. And the Cerebro tracker ain't helpin if she don't use 'er powers."

            "We'll just have to do it the traditional way then -- look." Ororo tried to lighten the mood a little, but Logan responded with only a snort. There were more important matters at hand.

            It is exasperating when you did not know what to look for, or to be precise, where to look for. As clichéd as it seems, it was truly a needle in a haystack situation.

            They were cruising past the downtown area, when a certain parking area caught their eye. It looked as if a tornado had hit it, with cars crushed and strewn over the roads.

            "Looks like we've come ta the right neighbourhood 'Ro."

            "Steady the jet Logan, I'm going down for a closer look." Storm got out of her pilot's seat and flew out of the jet.

            Searching a few blocks down, Storm came across a bare-skinned figure, hidden in the shadows. As she flew over, her line of sight shifted, and so did the shadows slightly. The tangled mane of red was unmistakable.

            "Goddess." Storm lowered herself to investigate. She was sprawled on the filthy alley. 

            "Wolverine, I've found her." Storm spoke into her communicator.

            Storm undid her cape and wrapped Jean in it. With the girl safely in her arms, she lifted herself up into the night aloft the breezes to the X-Jet waiting above her.

            "What's wrong 'ith 'er?" Truth be told, Logan was the slightest appalled by Jean's condition, and appearance.

            "I don't know. The poor child. We'd better hurry back."

            Into the intercom, Storm spoke, "We've found her Charles. We're heading back."

***

            Loud footsteps on the hard metal floor came in the direction of the hanger.

            "Hank, we've got 'er!"

            Logan barged into the medbay with Jean's limp and shivering body.

            "Set her down on this table," Hank gestured with his hands as he prepped for her examination. He then retrieved a hospital gown for Jean to put on temporarily.

            Logan left him and waited outside with Ororo and the professor.

            It was not long before Hank emerged. "Apart from some bruises, she's physically fine, just unconscious."

            Charles Xavier listened on with a grim expression on his face, nodding every now and then.

            "Would you like me to prepare a bed in the medbay?"

            "I would much rather have her recuperate in her room. I fear there is much more than just superficial wounds. Ororo, would you kindly assist Hank?"

***

            The midday sun was high up in the air when Jean came to.

            "Professor?" Her hand immediately went to her head. She had another massive migraine piercing the back of her mind.

            "Jean, are you alright my dear?"

            "I don't know. I don't know anymore." She shivered spontaneously. What was happening to her? And it frightened her, and she just felt like crying.

            "Would you like to talk about what happened last night?"

            "I...nearly killed him." She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "I nearly killed Ted. I didn't mean it, but she wanted me to do it."

            Charles Xavier leant forward to cradle her head in his hands.

            "He...he was all over me. Touching me. I didn't want it, didn't like it. I was angry, and she just lashed out at him." Jean shuddered inward recalling the events of the night.

            "She?" The professor inquired.

            "She. The girl from my dreams. She calls herself Phoenix."

            "Phoenix?"

            "Yes, the legendary firebird. Her flames assume the shape of it. And last night...for a moment...I became Phoenix."

            There was a pause, before Jean continued. "Usually, when I get really angry, I see her in my dreams."

            "When did these dreams start?"

            "I've been having them for over two years, on and off. I don't exactly remember when, but it..." Jean started to break down. "I'm scared Professor."

            "Don't worry child. We're all here for you. Perhaps you are evolving beyond my comprehension; you haven't yet realised your full potential."

            Jean chewed on her knuckles a bit. She had not been so frightened since she was a little girl discovering her telekinesis.

***

            Dinnertime was approaching, and Jean started to feel hungry. Besides, it was boring being in your room all by yourself, and still visibly upset, she craved for anything chocolate. Huddled in a robe and slippers, she put her hair up in a pony tail and padded downstairs. It was noisier, even mentally, but it was welcome as the silence of her psi-shielded room was beginning to frustrate her.

            Despite the protests of the institute's cook that it will ruin her appetite for dinner, Jean still got her hot chocolate in the end. She held the warmth in her palms and inhaled the rich sweet scent, sipping it sparingly and padded towards the rec room. She had been informed of the second batch of new recruits and a little self-introductory might be in order. She did not want to feel like a total stranger in her own home.

            Jean poked her head into the rec room. All the students in there were new, she supposed, not recognizing every one of the girls. The old new recruits were probably engaging in a Danger Room session, since she had not seen the mansion's pranksters, especially Bobby, running about the institute.

            "Hi." There was a nervous tingle to that.

            Four pairs of eyes turned to look at her from the couch. There was a little redhead sandwiched between another girl of roughly the same build with lavender skin and pointy elf ears like Kurt's, and a taller fair blonde. On the fair right sat an American Indian girl with her hair in two thick plaits. Jean thought she had seen her some time ago.

            "Who are ye?" The redhead spoke with a heavy Irish accent.

            "Oh, I'm Jean."

            "A new student?" The lavender-skinned girl inquired.

            "Oh no, I sorta live here, from time to time." Jean flashed a tired smile. "I was one of the professor's first students. I grew up here."

            "Oh. I'm Theresa." The other redhead beamed.

            "Paige. Sam's sister." Came the blonde.

            "Clarice." The lavender-skinned girl voiced perkily.

            When it came to the Indian girl, Jean noticed she was staring at her funny, appearing almost apprehensive. Jean's hand immediately went to her side of her face where her bruises were. Her appearance must have been appalling.

            "That's Danielle." The Indian girl managed a sheepish smile as Theresa pointed her out. "What happened to ye?"      

            "Oh, a skirmish of sorts, but I can't really remember." Jean winced at that.

            Theresa still looked a tad puzzled. 

            "It's a small fight," Paige whispered.

            "Oh! They hurt ye."

            Jean did not think she wanted to involve the (little) details that were still vivid in her memory. She settled for a simple "yeah". The girls would assume "they" were humans.

            The end credits of the TV programme they had watched had finished some time earlier and a news programme came on. Jean stood silently in the doorway.

            "...There has been a report of a mutant attack in downtown Manhattan last night..." The news camera panned across a devastated parking area. "...Witnesses claimed that the mutant, an unidentified female, is able to generate and control fire, and was apparently assaulting a young man. The victim is identified as Ted Roberts, an undergraduate from Barnard College. Doctors deduce that the trauma of the attack has left him in a vegetative state and in critical condition. The whereabouts of this dangerous mutant is unknown and the police are currently investigating the matter."

            _They are coming. They know. She knows._

            That voice. Jean's eyes widened, and in a split second her mug slipped from her hands and crashed onto the floor.

            "Stop it!" She clutched her head, staggering backwards as she screamed hysterically.

            _But together we are powerful, unstoppable and unbeatable. We will not succumb. They will fall, we shall rise, and rule them!_

            The furniture in the rec room lifted themselves up into the air, frightening the other girls. Danielle let out a gasp. Theresa's first instinct was to scream, shattering an empty water glass before Paige put a hand over her mouth while Clarice covered her ears. Danielle just stared.

            "Someone get Ms Munroe!" Paige instructed and Clarice immediately _blinked_ away. 

            Suddenly, Jean keeled over, and the furniture landed abruptly on the floor, startling the girls yet again. Jean lay on the wood floor, a little dazed. Her hair fanned out, and the tips soaked in the mess of liquid split on the floor.

            "What happened?" Ororo came running into the rec room.

            Paige gestured to Jean on the floor. "One moment she was fine, then she suddenly went crazy."

            "And the chairs, aye, they started floatin!" Theresa added in a fearful tone.

            "Jean, what are you doing down here. You should be up resting in your room." Ororo approached Jean and knelt down beside her. She helped Jean sit up, and bent over to pick up the broken pieces of the mug. "Paige, would you get me some cloths to clean this mess?"

            "Right away Ms Munroe."

            Theresa peered meekly from over the couch. "Is she gonna be alright?"

            "I do hope so," Jean managed a weak reply.

            "Come, we'd better get you back to your room. What were you doing down here anyway?" Ororo's voice trailed off as she held Jean steady out of the rec room.

            Theresa followed Ororo out of the door and met Clarice in the hallway, leaving Danielle standing in the rec room. "It's all happening like in the dream..." Danielle mouthed, eyes wide in shock at what she had just witnessed.

***

            "Jean, what happened?" The professor wheeled into her bedroom as Ororo had Jean tucked in her bed.

            "I saw the news, and it just...I'm sorry professor. I shouldn't have been out there." Jean looked out the window and grabed fistfuls of her blanket.

            "I'm well aware of the news, and what happened to...the victim." Charles Xavier leaned forward and steepled his fingers.

            "But now everyone is going to know...there's this really bad feeling inside of me, and it won't go away." Jean sank back into her pillow and closed her eyes.

            "Don't worry Jean, I'll deal with the situation. Just try to relax." The professor voiced soothingly, trying to calm her.

            "I can't. I can't let the Phoenix take control. I'm worried about what she'll make me do..."

            "What will _she_ make you do Jean?"

            "Burn. She makes me burn people. In my dreams, that time in Cerebro..." Jean shifts her head to stare at the ceiling above her.

            _Cerebro__._ "Jean, that day, what were you doing in Cerebro?" The professor's brows were knitted, and his eyes intense.

            "I...I don't know. She made me go there. Made me use Cerebro. And it gave me power, more power to burn them."

            "You should rest Jean, and this time, please stay in your room." Charles Xavier pats her hand and she nods in response.

            After putting Jean to sleep, Charles Xavier exited her room quietly.

            "Charles, how is she? She's starting to worry me greatly." Ororo walked up to him.

            "I don't know. She was talking about a mind and power struggle between her and a...being...known to her as Phoenix. She said it made her use Cerebro. But Jean isn't strong enough, and trained for that matter to handle Cerebro without my guidance and she knows that. She expressed herself as being possessed by this Phoenix character."

            "But Jean had used Cerebro against you and defeated you when you were possessed by Apocalypse."

            "We were on the Astral Plane yes, and the battle ended in this flash of bright white light. Such raw energy I had never felt before; such energy being released from her." The professor chewed on this thought as he rolled down the hallway, accompanied by Ororo.

            "Perhaps Charles, Cerebro did something to her?"

            "I can't say Ororo, and her change is puzzling me."

            "You once mentioned that Cerebro could affect separate telepaths differently."

            "Yes, Cerebro was built with my telepathy in mind. It was designed to enhance my powers. Unlike Jean's I have to work at reading people's minds. With her, she has to work at keeping them out." He had suppressed her telepathy when she was a child, and there had been an instance when her powers expanded without notice and her old shields could not hold. Did Cerebro manage to up the level of her powers? He pondered deeply, his expression grim.

***

            Nightfall heralds the realm of dreams.

            But somewhere in New York City, a certain young man is wide awake. He has not slept since the nightmare he had the previous night. He dreamt of a little girl. She was trapped in a small white house. The house was burning. And she was crying. She had tousled red hair, green eyes, and light freckles sprayed across her cheeks. He had tried to get to her, but the fire raged and burned him. When he awoke he knocked a picture frame onto the floor. It was a picture of him with the little redheaded girl, and the glass piece of the frame cracked and shattered a little on impact, strategically over the face of the girl. Vary of the tiny glass splinters, he cradles the frame gently and pulls the photograph out. The girl in the picture smiles back at him. He can still hear the crashing waves and feel the soft caress of the evening breeze sitting by the lake. In his memory was etched the endless depths of her (emerald) eyes. So there he lay staring up into the night sky while his thoughts drifted to Bayville.

            Stars on a cloudless night were a rare phenomenon in Bayville, and this night was no exception. The night sky was blanketed with a layer of white from the view of the redhead where she sat by the window still. She could not sleep, or rather, she did not want to. Her dreams scared her. In her arms, she hugged an old teddy. This was a special teddy. Her best friend had won the bear in a carnival for her. And she how wished her best friend did not have to leave her when she was feeling so alone at this moment. She wanted to cry into his arms, and be comforted by his words. He always knew how to make her laugh, where she was most ticklish, and what chocolates she liked. She missed him greatly; his touch, his voice, his presence. He will wake her from this dreadful nightmare. The emptiness and bitterness is too great for her to bear. But for now, she weeps silent tears in this heart-wrenching solitude. Even the stars do not hear her sobs.

            The rest of the mansion sleeps on, but five doors down, another girl sleeps fitfully, for her mutation plagues her with dreams.

            _There is a crowd in __Washington__D.C.__ They are holding up huge signboards and parading the streets, demonstrating against mutants. Mutants are a threat, they have to be destroyed, they chant as the Senate engages in a hearing. The Senate intends to pass the Mutant Registration Act, and their supporters cheer them on._

_            In the broad daylight, the crowd sees a gigantic glowing figure approaching them. It burns as brightly as the sun itself, the firebird, as it descends upon them. But this firebird is angry, and perched atop a building, a young woman commands its wings. Some grow frightened and flee, others hurl insults and objects, which the firebird deflects with ease and has it raining back down on the crowd. It has fire raining back down on the crowd, like fire bombs from an active volcano. Their clothes and hair catch fire, as so do the buildings. The people are burning, and the air carries the acrid scent of scorched bodies lying about in the streets. Those who have tried to oppose it -- men and robots -- have fallen, dispersed among the countless who have perished._

_            Is there no one who dares oppose this menacing being?_

            "NO!" Danielle awakes, breaking out in cold sweat. Her room is dark, barely illuminated by the faint moonlight. The drapes over the windows flutter as the cool night breeze stirs them.

            "That face...it's her...she brings death upon us..." She rubs her face with both palms and pushes stray strands of hair out of her eyes. "She is among us...she must be stopped..."

            In her dreams, Danielle sees a death aura cast upon the demonstrators. The future has many alternate possibilities but certain death is imminent. She had dreamt death upon her parents. She saw a man burn in her dreams and he will soon die. She has always feared what her dreams may come.

_Coming soon: Chapter Eight! _

_Review!_


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13, language

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Doing the routine thank you for the reviews. And Optic, I'm touched lol :)

***

Chapter Eight

            The Ted Roberts case had raised the mutant hysteria alarm up two notches, and it frustrated Scott till no end. It had become the most talked about topic on campus; he himself had seen or read the news reports for at least a dozen times. Speculation on who was the mutant was going on. Scott had no doubt made the connection that it was Jean, and it had concerned him that hers was one of the names being passed around. It made him all the more nervous and jumpy when it came to lunch time, drowning in this mutant hype. For more times than he could count, he flatly refused to comment on the situation. Details in conversations became more grotesque and distorted: some were saying that she was merely picking on the 'weaker specie'; then, there was another rumour that he tried to rape her, but ended up becoming the victim instead. Scott tried to avoid crowds at all costs, semi-worried of the fact that he himself could accidentally be exposed.

            When his last day of finals arrived, he hurried out of the examination hall shortly after his paper ended, and left for Bayville without haste. From what he had inferred through few conversations with various members of the institute, Jean had been taken ill like the previous time back in high school. But this time, her condition seemed worse, and she was not recovering from whatever that plagued her. He was having a terrible gut feeling. What on earth was going on? 

***

            She had grown paler and thinner by the day. The black circles were an indication of countless sleepless nights -- the dreams and voices still haunted her. She rarely left her bedroom ever since that incident in the rec room. It was as if she was reliving her childhood all over again. She poked at her breakfast on the bedside table, and sipped the tea. The curtains were partially drawn, to keep her bed in the shadows. The sunlight hurt her eyes. The sunshine hurt her mood.

            There was a soft knock on the door. The professor had come to see her again.

            "Come in." She voiced weakly.

            Charles Xavier wheeled in. It pained him to see one of his beloved students in such a defeated state. "And how are you this morning Jean?"

            "The same. Could barely sleep." Jean crossed her arms over her raised bent knees and rested her forehead on her arms. She was feeling heavy-eyed, but her phobia of sleeping made her resist. She had to maintain consciousness or else the _Phoenix_ will take over...she must not sleep...

            She rocked slightly back and forth while Xavier looked on silently. "You barely touched your breakfast Jean."

            "I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

            "This cannot go on Jean. You need rest and proper nutrition to recover."

            "But I'm not getting better. It's getting worse." Her voice was strained, trying to hold back the tears. 

            "Give us time Jean. Hank and I are trying to analyse your situation."

            "But you've tried everything, and nothing works..."

***

            A familiar red sight pulled into the institute's driveway. Leaving his car by the porch, Scott dashed up the steps and through the main doors.

            "Where's Jean? What happened? How's she?" It came out as an exasperated babble.

            Ororo was taken aback, and took a few moments to process what Scott had said. "She's...er...stable currently. Charles is tending to her in her room."

            Scott took to the stairs two by two.

            "I wouldn't think it's such a good idea to see her now." Ororo called from the bottom of the stairway.

            "I don't care. I want to see her." He did not slow his pace upon reaching the top of the stairs.

***

            Charles Xavier sensed the young man's urgency. "Scott's coming back today. Perhaps, you'd like a change of company?"

            Jean's expression was one of disgust and she turned her head away from the door. "No, just tell him to go away. Not after what he did to me." She knew this was partially a lie, but her anger towards him had been rekindled, and Jean was apprehensive of what _she_ might just do to him. And besides she did not want anyone else to see the state she was in.

            But still, there was no force that could keep him from barging in. "Jean?" Scott caught his breath in the doorway. 

            Xavier directed a stern glare towards him. _Scott, next time, please knock._

_            Sorry, but not now Professor. I want to see her._

_            Scott, now it's not a good time, I'm afraid._

_            I'd like to speak with her privately, sir, _Scott was insistent, his jaw set.

            "Very well then, I shall leave you two alone. Call if you need anything," Xavier referred to no one in particular.

            "What do you want?" Jean still had her head turned away.

            "To talk."

            "Haven't you done enough?"

            "I want to know what happened."

            "You know what happened."

            "That's not what happened...exactly."

            "Why do you even bother?"

            "Because I care."

            "Don't lie to a telepath Scott," Jean tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She had gotten a haircut, leaving her hair just slightly longer than half the length it used to be.

            "You cut your hair," Scott tried to approach her with small talk.

            "I felt like it."

            "It's shorter...than previously."

            "What?! Can't I cut it?"

            "No, no, it's fine...what do you want me to say?"

            "Nothing okay? Just go away."

            "Not until you tell me what happened."

            "Why is it even a concern of yours?"

            "Jean...come on..."

            "Don't Jean me. We broke up, in case you didn't realise..."

            "Jean, that was just a stupid, rash decision based on a misunderstanding."

            "Yeah, the fact that you slept with her is some misunderstanding." Jean spat harshly.

            "I was drunk Jean; it was a mistake. And for the record, I was never dating her at all."

            "God Scott, how many excuses can you come up with?"

            "It isn't an excuse Jean!" Throwing his hands up in the air, he was getting frustrated on his part as well. "Then what about yourself? You seemed pretty comfortable with him."

            "Don't even go there Scott. Just leave, I don't want any of us to get hurt."

            "What? You're gonna set me on fire as well?"

            "It...I...It wasn't intentional!" _Yes it was..._

            "Jean, what happened?"

            She could feel the anger boil and rage within her. _Men.__ They're all liars and cheaters..._It was that voice again...and she spaced out for a second.

            "Jean? Jean? What's wrong?"

            "You want to know what happened?! You want to know what's wrong?!" She slashed out at him. "He tried to rape me, I got angry, then a voice told me to burn that bastard, so I did exactly just that! What's wrong?! I don't friggin' know! All I know is that I hear voices and get possessed by a fire throwing being!"

            Then she started hugging her knees and quivering. "Just go before _she_ decides to hurt you as well..." Jean spoke in a weak and frightened tone this time, and broke into sobs.

            "Jean? I'm so sorry..." Scott immediately rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her.

            "Don't touch me!" She pushed him away. Scott caught the image of flames in her eyes when they locked eyes for a second. Jean buried her head in her knees and pushed Scott out of the door with her telekinesis and locked it.

            "Dammit Jean! Open up! Something is not right and you know it!" Scott pounded furiously on her door as Charles Xavier approached him.

            "Professor, what's wrong with Jean?!" Scott's brows were knit. He lowered his gaze to meet that of Xavier's positioning both palms on the arm rests of his wheelchair to stare him in the eye.

            "Scott, Jean's just highly emotional and stressed after that unfortunate incident."

            But Scott was not budging. "You do know what's wrong. I saw these flames in her eyes. And it scared the hell out of me."

            "You have to I truly do not comprehend fully what's wrong with her Scott. Hank and I are working on that. I theorize that her powers are evolving further, to her full potential."

            "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" He pushed himself off the professor's wheelchair and rammed a fist into the wall.

            "Jean is changing. But for the better, or for the worse, we do not know for sure." Xavier appeared sceptical. Scott suspected he was still hiding something.

            "You once told us, you saw the future through Apocalypse's mind. You know what'll happen to Jean!"

            "She evolves, yes, but I do not know the outcome of it. There was just so much chaos, and fire."

            With his back against the wall, Scott slid slowly down until he sat on the floor. "You saw our futures, and Jean wasn't a part of it." He closed his eyes, removed his glasses and wiped at his face. "Jean's not going to die, is she?" Scott blurted out, voice trembling.

            "I only saw my future _X-Men_, Scott. There is still hope yet. And we're trying all ways and means to stop, or dampen the toil of the effects it will have on Jean. I know what you're fearful of Scott. Jean's like a daughter to me, and I love her dearly too. And I will not see to it that anything bad happens to her either. Jean's a strong individual and she won't give up without a fight. And we must be stronger to give her the strength and support she seeks. You understand Scott, you must be strong for her."

            Scott could not help but let the tears leak out from his closed eyes. Was he destined all his life to lose those he loved? First his parents, and now Jean? "Yes, Professor..." he replied shakily.

            "I must go Scott, the Senate is expecting my presence for this afternoon's session. Do help me keep an eye on Jean."

            "I will Professor." Scott stood up and replaced his glasses, his blasts incinerating whatever tears which threatened to form. He watched as Charles Xavier wheeled towards the elevator.

***

            Scott brought Jean her lunch, but she refused to open the door and let anyone in. He left the tray at her door in case she became hungry. The adults crowded in the rec room. The professor was currently engaged in a Senate session. Hank had accompanied him, but was not required by the professor to make an appearance, lest he stir more commotion and unrest. It was not an easy Christmas week for anyone in the institute. Scott took a place by the doorway and watched televised anti-mutant demonstrators parade the streets of Washington D.C. His frown deepened, lines carved into his forehead.

***

            "Professor Charles Xavier," Senator Edward Kelly graced the floor of the Senate Hearings. "In light of recent events, certain mutant threats have raised public concern of whether they are a danger and menace to society."

            Charles Xavier listened intently at his place at the podium.

            "Some months ago, as you would recall, a 15-year-old is in a coma of mysterious origin after coming into supposed contact with one, or two mutants." Senator Kelly read off a blue folder. "And just a few days ago, a 21-year-old college student, previously in a coma and now deceased was attacked and set on fire by a pyrokinetic, according to eye-witnesses. And to my knowledge, public and private property have also been severely damaged by this mutant." He closed the file and took small steps towards the podium. Faint mumbles from the crowd grew louder. "As you can see, such situations involving mutants have become extremely dangerous and out of hand. It is in the best interest of the public to ensure that we have a system of mutant identification and monitor their situations. Thus, I propose the once too many rejected Mutant Registration Act to be implemented." With that statement, the crowd rose to their feet and cheered and clapped loudly.

            Charles Xavier steepled his fingers and waited calmly for the enthusiasm to die down before speaking. "Senator, mutants are still in all aspects human and deserve equal rights and treatment. Implementing the Mutant Registration Act would be treating them like criminals. They are entitled to the same freedom as you are."

            "Freedom to wreck havoc in our society Professor?"

            "With all due respects Senator, _normal_ armed citizens are equally as dangerous as mutants on the streets. And they can wreak havoc, if not more."

            "That is why we licence them to possess fire arms, and try to educate the public on the responsibilities of gun ownership."

            "And that is what I propose, to educate mutants, to teach them to better control their powers and not to abuse their special abilities."

            "And do you suppose that it will work effectively one hundred percent Professor?"

            "I would not guarantee absolute success Senator, but is it not worth a try?"

            "The safety of millions of citizens is at stake here. We cannot afford mistakes. And the best solution is to simply remove the threat." Kelly enunciated clearly.

***

            "This is taking way too long." Scott was growing impatient.

            "Be patient Scott," Ororo hushed him. Scott just folded his arms and scowled.

            They waited for some more minutes until the broadcast finally switched scenes to show that of a swarm of reporters crowding around the Senator Kelly. "The Senate is still indecisive as whether to pass the Mutant Registration Act, but I have confidence it will be."

            "Dammit!" Scott slammed his forearm into the wall to his right and stormed off.

            "They haven't passed ta damned bill yet kid." Logan called out to Scott.

            "Just watch, they will!" Scott responded without turning back. He figured he needed to take a long walk to cool down.

***

            Charles Xavier was preparing to leave after a gruelling session when he spotted a familiar tall sight and a glimpse of silvery-white hair.

            "Erik."

            "Charles." He tipped his hat. "You do know this debate is a lost cause? The bill will eventually be passed."

            "I won't let that happen Erik. For the sake of my students, for the sake of us."

            "I've heard these arguments before. Generation after generation, they're all the same."

            "And they will continue to be, unless we help to convince them otherwise."

            "Do you really think they will listen to you Charles?"

            "Given the right amount of persuasion and facts to substantiate, they might."

            "And if they discover the fact that you're a telepath Charles? All that you've said would have been disputed."

            "Then they shall not. And you know very well Erik, I would not, under most circumstances use my telepathy to force it upon them."

            "And they'll buy it? Charles, you're just digging your own grave, and that of your students as well."

            "Then what do you propose Erik? Violence? You know very well that it does not work."

            "There is no way humans and mutants can ever co-exist peacefully." Erik shook his head.

            "I have always believed Erik. And there is nothing in the future except hope."

            "You are wasting your time on them Charles. We are the future." Erik walked away as Xavier pondered deeply. After a night's rest, he would return to the institute.

***

            Broadcasts regarding the Senate Hearings and the Mutant Registration Act had been recorded. Late into the night, Scott wandered into the rec room. He could not sleep, and occupied himself with replaying the broadcasts.

            "Son of a bitch," he murmured under his breath. He had always disliked the former principal of Bayville High, and right now, he just wanted to wring his neck. So he sat there with the remote control in hand, the flicker of the television screen being the only source of light illuminating the rec room. But after some time, the broadcasts played on while Scott dozed off.

***

            Jean did not know what motivated her to leave the comforts of her room to creep downstairs. Having tossed and turned in bed for hours, she finally gave up coercing herself to sleep. It was into the wee hours of the morning, and the mansion was dark and quiet. As she tiptoed down the stairs, she heard faint sounds coming from the direction of the rec room. The flicker of lights also indicated that the television was switched on. As she approached, she saw the silhouette of a figure sprawled across the couch.

            "Scott?" She called softly, but he was sound asleep.

            It was then that the programme on the television caught her attention. It was regarding the day's Senate Hearings, that she was vaguely aware off. Something about passing the Mutant Registration Act. About dangerous mutants. There was also repeated footage of a mutant totally engulfed in flames hurling crushed cars into the air and setting people on fire. She stared straight at the screen and let out a gasp. _Was that what she had done?_

            _Yes, and a mighty fine job I must say._

            There it was again. "What do you want?" Jean whispered, turning in circles, constantly looking behind her back as if the voice lurked in the shadows.

            _That was an astounding display of power. The weaklings are afraid. They're out to get you if you do not stop them. We must not let those pesky humans stand in our way._

            "Stop it, I don't want to fight them." Jean felt the world spin again, and grabbed her head in her hands.

            Faint sounds came from the couch were Scott lay asleep.

            _Ignore him, we must prepare for the war! Those humans, they must die!_

            "No!" Jean let out a half scream. Scott began to stir.

            "Who's there?" He jerked awake and quickly scanned the surroundings. There was no one there. The broadcasts he had been watching had ended. He switched the television off. Scott jumped off the couch, and walked out of the rec room. The hallways were empty too. But he was sure he had heard, and felt somebody in the rec room. Suddenly, his ears perked up, catching a familiar hum. It was unmistakably that of the elevator. But the professor would not be back yet until an hour more, prompting Scott to approach the elevator area to have a closer look. The elevator stopped at the subbasement level. Who on earth would want to go to the subbasement at this hour? Curious, he decided to check it out for himself.

***

            "NO!" Danielle awakes again in cold sweat, the fifth time consecutively. She had had the same dream over and over again for the past five days. And the images in her dream have become clearer and clearer. And this meant that her "death" vision would occur sometime in the very near future. She had kept this to herself long enough. Tomorrow, the professor needed to know of this, before it became too late.

***

_Reviews! *feed me* :)_


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13, language

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Thank you for those who reviewed. :)

***

Chapter Nine

            "Hello? Who's down there? Show yourself!" Scott called out, only to be answered by empty corridors. The cold, sterile air of the sub-basement did not stir; it was deathly quiet that he could even hear his breathing. "Hello?" Scott approached cautiously. The sub-basement was dark at this hour, except for the bright white lights that lined the main corridor. Whomever this person, intruder or not, had just mysteriously vanished.

            Then, there came a bloodcurdling scream down the corridors. And it came from the women's locker room. Scott quickened the pace of his footsteps to a jog, skidding to a halt in the door.

            "Jean?" _What is she doing in the new training uniform?_ Scott wondered. "What are you doing?" He approached her crouched figure in a corner. Her head was clutched in her hands. She seemed to be in a great deal of pain. "Jean? What..."

            She turned her head to glare in his direction for a split second with her menacing green eyes. Then, Jean pushed her right palm outwards, and with an invisible telekinetic shove, sent Scott flying out of the locker room. "GET OUT!" She shrieked, even louder this time. 

            Scott hit the opposite metal wall outside and was stunned momentarily, his vision blurry and head slightly woozy. He lay there half-seated in a dazed state while the ear-piercing screams continued.

            Jean climbed up from her position, head still in her hands, and staggered for a few steps as if she were drunk. Then she keeled forward and collapsed on her knees. The pain in her head, the voices were too much to bear. But she would not let go...she cannot let go...

            _Why are you resisting? We are two halves of the same whole. Let us be one!_

            "STOP IT!" Jean cried. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" The world started spinning as she stared up at the ceiling. Suddenly, it all went black and she collapsed. But almost immediately, she picked herself up, her emerald-green eyes now glowed in hues of bright yellows and oranges. She looked into the distance, and stood up in a mechanical state, as if she was possessed by another supernatural force. Hands outstretched, the lockers started to lift themselves off the metal floor and spun about her. They went around in circles faster and faster, crashing into each other and getting crushed under the impact. Her fingertips started to glow and it soon spread through her whole body and the tips of her hair as she levitated herself up into the air.

            When Scott regained full consciousness, the next thing he saw as he stood up was a blinding flash of white light. Jean's hovering body looked as if it exploded compulsively like a mini big bang. The room was blown apart and the ceiling shredded as well, revealing the early dawn sky above. He stared in astonishment as the white light spread and consumed the room, and when it faded, its centre was replaced with that of a huge firebird. Stretching its majestic wings, it lifted itself up into the sky above.

            Scott walked into the room and looked up through the gigantic hole in the ceiling. Snapping back to reality, he realised what had just happened. "Jean! Shit!"

***

            Danielle had been pacing her room for the past hour. She fingered the hem of her nightclothes nervously, awaiting the hour which will herald the professor's arrival back to the institute. Periodically, she would walk to the window. Her room had a view, albeit awkward, of the mansion's driveway.

            Oranges streaked the morning sky as the sun rose. And for a split second, the blinding flashes of rays of sunlight claimed the land. Bouncing on her heels back and forth, and twisting her fingers into knots, she finally saw the familiar black Rolls Royce pull into the driveway. Without hesitation, Danielle sped down the hallway and down the steps barefooted. The professor wheeled into the foyer just as Danielle reached the bottom of the grand staircase, huffing and puffing.

            "Danielle? What ever is the matter child?"

            "The visions. They're going to die. We must stop it." Danielle approached the professor in a slightly shaky voice.

            "Dani calm down." Charles Xavier was well aware of her powers, and her death visions. "Let's go through this one at a time. The visions? Who are going to die? And what do we have to stop?"

            She tried to take in deep breaths, but the words still came out of her mouth rushed. "There is a large white building. There are people on the streets demonstrating. These people will die, consumed in flames. There is a young woman who commands the great firebird." Her eyes went wide at the revelation.

            Charles Xavier appeared a little stunned. "And this vision is going to be a reality?"

            "Yes, I'm certain. I've been having it for a few weeks."

            _No, it can't be true...it can't happen...why?_ The professor was taken aback for awhile. He prayed fervently that is was not Jean.

            "Who...who is the young woman...who commands the firebird?" Now, it was the professor's voice which was trembling.

            "She walks among us...she..." Danielle was about to complete her sentence when Scott came scampering in their direction.

            "Jean's gone! She was down there," Scott gestured beneath his feet to indicate the sub-basement.

            "Isn't Jean supposed to be in her room?" Hank inquired, puzzled.

            "I saw her in the sub-basement. Then her powers went ballistic, and she turned into some kind of flaming bird." Scott waved his arms frantically in the air. Fear and exasperation seeped through his voice.

            Xavier's eyes widened at that. "Where is she headed?"

            "I don't know sir."

            "Did she mention anything?"

            "No."

            "She's headed for a white building, and lots and lots of people." Danielle exclaimed pointedly, but it seemed like the adults were paying little attention to her words.

            Scott pondered Dani's words. _White building...demonstrators..._"Wait, I think Jean caught the taped broadcasts when I fell asleep in the rec room watching them in the night. I think she's..."

            "She's headed for Washington D.C." Charles Xavier finished Scott's sentence for him. "Dani, your vision?"

            "They're going to die. More are going to die if you don't hurry." Dani bit her lower lip, closed her eyes and looked away.

            "I'll go assemble the X-Men right now." Scott responded half-(heavy) heartedly. 

            Charles Xavier nodded silently and grimly. He placed his fingers over his temples to telepathically awaken the X-Men team as Hank helped wheel the professor down to the sub-basement, following Scott's lead.

            _Iceman, Shadowcat, Colossus, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Storm, Wolverine, I need you to assemble in the situation room right now. It's an emergency._

            Danielle watched as the three of them moved hurriedly in the direction of the elevator. Should she tell them? That it will be no more than a pyrrhic victory.

***

            Scott suited up in the new costume. It was black, and without that annoying big yellow 'X' over his chest and back which made him look like an easy target. Well, this one had yellow straps as well, in a 'Y' instead. This was not happening was it? Of all the people, Jean was the last person he would want to face on the opposing team (technically, she was not even on his list). _But why?_

            "Dammit!" Scott banged his fist against his locker door, and fought to keep the tears at bay (which his optic blasts would have incinerated anyway). He could not bring himself to fight the very woman he loved, could he?

            "Are you alright, comrade?"

            Scott looked up at the towering sight of pure organic steel standing before him. Colossus had joined the X-Men shortly after their shared victory over Apocalypse. The future which would decide Jean's fate.

            Scott tried to swallow the painful lump forming in his throat. "I think...I think I'll be fine." The team needed Cyclops, and Cyclops could not falter. And thus, Cyclops took the offered hand of Colossus, and had the Russian pull his still boneless form from his seated position.

            Cyclops addressed the now assembled team. "Alright people. Target: Jean, your objective is to take her down, with as much force as necessary." They did not miss the slight stammer in his voice, though he did his best to keep up his leader façade. "Stun her with the least harm possible, we would very much like her brought back alive." _Dammit__, I want her back alive..._"If there are no questions, then move out people."

            The X-Men took to the X-jet. Storm walked over with Wolverine and placed a comforting hand on Cyclops' shoulder. Storm queried him with concerned eyes, to which he acknowledged with a slight nod.

            Just then, something startled Wolverine's senses. He sniffed at the air, eyes darting about the hanger. "Come on out kid." He called.

            From the shadows, a girl the X-Men recognised as X-23 stepped out.

            "X-23? What are you doing here?" Scott questioned.

            "Stop calling me that," she growled under her breath.

            "We need to give you a name then kid." Wolverine tipped her a grin for a second. "Why are you here? You ain't the type ta come trespassing on our property."

            "S.H.I.E.L.D. has reinstated the Sentinels by order of the government."            

            "Goddamnit! Fury knows better than ta let 'em loose again."

            "It's a measure against 'extreme' dangerous mutants. And this batch is an enhanced version of the old model, one which Trask had been secretly working on, to which most of his project team know nothing of."

            "Shit, how many?"

            "I don't know. A whole army of 'em. A couple of hundred?"

            "A couple of hundred of robots?" Wolverine was slightly disbelieving at the statistic.

            "Not exactly."

            "What da ya mean 'not exactly'?"

            "They were once human."

***

            She had never felt such raw power flowing through her. Towering over the Senate Building, she wore the span of wings of fire like a cape that flowed elegantly behind her. It was a spectacular sight; the sky was washed aglow in bright reds, oranges and yellows. That was until flaming balls started raining onto the streets below, and the people below. Those people threatened her and her kind, and she felt it was her duty to eliminate such a threat, before they turned around and found the opportunity to bite you back. She was not going to stand around and witness her own kind be killed in a never-ending battle. She was powerful enough. She would stop them. She would be their guardian.

            Jean watched on as the mere, pitiful humans scampered about for cover from the fire storm raining upon them. Chaos rang out in the streets and piercing screams filled the air as the crowd ran helter-skelter in all directions, like disorientated ants. The sea of people was a blur, except for prominent dots of yellows where their hair and clothes caught fire. Some frantically waved and brushed at their hair and clothes, as if trying to dust it off. Then there were a few hysteric ones who rolled on the sidewalk pavements, in hopes of putting out the fire. But to no avail, as it was all in the mind. The fire was just a psychic projection. And it fed off the fears of the people. The more they panicked, the brighter and fiercer the fire grew. She waved her hands about like an expert puppeteer would control the crowd below; no strings attached. There was an evil gleam in her eyes, and laughter rang throughout the air.

            "Fools! Yes, run for your lives! No one will save you now! No one will stop me!" She raised both her hands and the silhouette of the firebird's wings followed, and let out a high-pitched screech.

***

            "We're approaching D.C." Cyclops called from his pilot's seat, while busy fingering various switches. "Storm, Rogue, I want you to fly out there and access the situation."

            The two exited the open hatch which opened in the roof of the X-Jet as the jet descended from above the white clouds into the lower atmosphere. If the least bit, it started to get warmer in the jet as they caught a glimpse of the gigantic flaming figure hovering over the Senate Building.

            "Oh my god..." it came out more as a whisper from Cyclops' mouth.

            "Like whoa..." Shadowcat trailed off.

            "Somethin' tells me that ain't Jeannie anymore." Wolverine remarked pointedly, slightly dumbfounded.

            "Come one, we've still got to stop her," Cyclops steered the jet away from the direction of the Senate building to land it some distance, preferably that could hide the jet among more foliage.

***

            Storm and Rogue swooped down from behind gliding through the air like fish would in water.

            "Jean, you must stop this at once," Storm attempted to reason with the Phoenix.

            The Phoenix turned to glare at the both of them. "And you dare oppose me?" The flame in her eyes grew brighter as her voice boomed louder.

            The firebird screeched and burned fiercer, its claws reaching out to grab at Storm and Rogue. But they were agile enough to avoid being caught, weaving in and out of its grasp. Frustrated, the Phoenix threw them both off guard with a telekinetic blow. "Join me or die fighting!"

            "Try me!" An angered Rogue charged forward, just as one of the firebird's legs landed a kick in Rogue and sent her flying across the sky. But ever persistent, Rogue, seemingly invulnerable, came zooming back.

            This time, it was Storm who stopped her in her tracks. "She's too strong. We need to regroup with the others."

            "But ah can take 'er!"

            "Rogue!"

            "But those people down there ah hurtin' if we don't do somethin'!"

            "We can't take her alone. Come on!" Storm waved to Rogue and the two figures retreated.

            _Cowards,_ the Phoenix sneered, and re-averted her attention to the blazes below.

***

            "Storm, what's the status of the situation?" Cyclops inquired expressionlessly. He was now in full leader-mode.

            "She's out of control Cyclops." Storm replied, shaking her head a little.

            "Ah tried takin' 'er out but Storm 'ere won't let me." Rogue interjected.

            "You'd get hurt Rogue." Storm remarked sternly.

            "Ah won't." Rogue appeared slightly miffed.

            "Rogue, the X-Men work as a team." Cyclops pointed out. "Alright, our main priority is to get those people to safety, and then take Jean down." Receiving nods from all, he continued. "Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus and Nightcrawler. Try to get all the people off the streets and away from Jean. X-23, Iceman, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine and I will attempt to take her down when the coast is clear."

            Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus and Nightcrawler scrambled out into the open in an attempt to steer the horde of frightened people away from the streets and the sight of the Phoenix overhead, phasing through, lifting the debris or teleporting to get the people to safety. But it seemed nothing they did could stop them from writhing in pain, engulfed in flames that seemingly did not burn their skin.

            Seeing that the puny humans were being rescued, that enraged the Phoenix and she started hurling more fireballs in their direction, to which Iceman acted quickly and threw up an ice shield over his team mates. But of course with fire raining and beating against the shield, it seemed to melt at a steady rate. It would require an effort for Iceman to keep the ice shield up, but Cyclops and Storm backed him up, deflecting the fireballs with his optic blasts and her winds respectively.

            "Jean, stop this! We don't want to fight you!" Cyclops shouted back at the Phoenix.

            They heard laughter before the Phoenix resumed to address them. "Jean Grey is no more. I am no longer the woman you knew. I am fire incarnate. Now and forever, I am Phoenix!" She spread her wings, and the firebird dived down, ready to attack but barely missed when the X-Men ducked and pressed their bodies flat on the ground to avoid her. The Phoenix made a loop in the air, and flew back in their direction. Cyclops released his blasts, Storm her lightning, and Iceman whatever he could fashion out of ice spontaneous, but it did little to slow her down.

            "Dammit!" Cyclops was getting frustrated at constantly missing with his shots. This was partially due to the fact that he had not positioned his aim to hit her front on, but off centre, just to throw her of balance. He knew he was taking too many chances, but he could not bring himself to fight his beloved.

            "Fools! If you won't die, then you shall watch the others perish!" And at those words, some cars spontaneously combusted and consumed those who sought refuge in the vicinity. That in turn set off another chain of explosions.

            "NO! Jean, stop it! You're not a murderer!"

            "You're all in my way X-Men! Now I shall spare no one as well! You shall burn, along with the rest of the godforsaken humanity!" The Phoenix raised her hands, and at that instant, the X-Men felt as if they were standing now on burning coal. And slowly, the burn seeped up their legs and engulfed their body. The psychic flames consumed their minds, making them think they were set on fire. Even with Colossus' steel form, he still succumbed to the psychic attack on his body. The Phoenix slowly savoured the moments watching the X-Men writhe in what they thought was excruciating pain. It would be too easy to kill them there and then, although all it took was to snap and rip their consciousness from their bodies. When their psyche was gravely harmed, it could in turn prove fatal to the human flesh. After all, the body was just a host for one's psyche to exist in.

            And as the Phoenix toyed with her new victims, she did not notice that overhead the sky became swarmed with dozens of flying robots.

            But the insistent droning of machinery soon distracted the Phoenix from her latest playthings.

            "Oh, more fun toys to play with!" A devilish smile played across her face.

            As soon as the army of a hundred odd robots gathered, they started taking aim at her, bombarding her with thousands of custom-made bullets and firearms. 

            Angered, the Phoenix left the (soon forgotten) X-Men and rose up above the stratosphere and further up into the atmosphere where the skies turned black and blue with hints of stars. There was currently a new threat which answered to the name: Sentinels.

***

_Reviews!_

_Footnote: Might be taking a hiatus for a while. Am totally exhausted from writing and I have a temp job (for just a couple of weeks) coming up in April. But enough reviews might inspire me to get back on the writing track ;)_


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Routinely thanking those who reviewed. :) A side note, I'll be taking a month's hiatus in April, so no updates till late April-early May -ish. I have some stuff coming up, which will give me less time to write, plus, my plot bunnies are exhausted and need rejuvenation. ^_^

***

Chapter Ten

            He could feel his insides burning, as if liquid fire flowed through his veins. Bent over and semi-curled in a foetal position, Cyclops wrapped his arms around his sides wincing in pain as his mind subjected his body to immense searing heat. His mind was drowning in pitch blackness as he fought to stay conscious and shrug off that invisible force that was tugging at his psyche, trying to pull it into a vortex.

            The harder he resisted, the greater the force. But wait, he vaguely recognized that mental signature. _Jean..._He tried to project as loudly as he could, in hopes of reaching her. _Jean, please, stop this..._

            He felt the residue of their long severed link, a faint static buzz. _Help me..._

            Then miraculously, the fire that scorched his body vanished, and so did that tug on his mind. As his consciousness swam back, he opened his eyes. His gaze was blurry through his visor as he looked up. Around him, his team mates started to stir, and the flames had died down. Just when he thought all was well, he heard a thunderous explosion up in the sky, accompanied by a brief shower of scrap metal bits.

            "Oh my God! Up in the sky!" Shadowcat pointed out, horrified.

            "Sentinels." Nightcrawler's eyes widened.

            All the rest could do was stare, mouths gaping.

            "The Sentinels. They have been dispatched. And this time, stronger than ever." X-23 clarified, in that firm tone of hers.

***

            This had to be a joke. The Phoenix thought as she tossed the Sentinels aside one by one, spontaneously combusting some, setting off a chain reaction. The explosions lit up the sky like fireworks. To send mere robots after her? They had to do better than that. Throwing up a telekinetic shield with one hand, she deflected the Sentinels' plasma blasts with practiced ease, and meanwhile, throwing telekinetic punches with her other hand. There was limitless energy and adrenaline rushing through her. She was invincible.

***

            "We've gotta help her!" Cyclops exclaimed, in the direction of his stunned team mates.

            "Looks like Red can handle 'em," Wolverine was staring up, partially in awe.

            "She can't possibly handle all of them!" Mildly exasperated, Cyclops wondered whether he was the only one who was worried for Jean's safety. But he had to remind himself that this was not Jean anymore. He prepared to release an optic blast into the sky.

            "Are you crazy? You're going to get us killed!" X-23 promptly objected to his (intended) actions. "It'll only alert the Sentinels to our presence."

            "Ta kid is right. We'll take Jeannie out after she takes ta Sentinels out." Wolverine chimed in.

            "And stand around here doing nothing and watch her get killed?" Frustration and anger clouding his senses, he ran out into the streets from their hiding place.

            "Scott, please get back in here." Storm tried to reason with him. But the Fearless Leader had left the building.

            "Damnit," Wolverine cursed under his breath.

            He stumbled out, wary of the metal raining down on him. To hell with them all, they had half finished what they had set out to do. The civilians were safe, fine and dandy, but their rescue venture was not completed yet. They had to coax her out of the sky, away from the Sentinels and bring her back _alive_, and all without getting themselves killed. If he could not count on them to do it, he would do it himself. He would not sit around and witness the one woman he truly loved die before his eyes, by the Sentinels or corrupted by her own power. Even if it cost him his life; but he did not swear on that. He much rather be together with her, in life, if not, in death.

            He positioned himself and took aim, releasing a red beam into the sky.

***

            Like mass produce on conveyor belts, they just kept coming and coming. There were just too many, but not that she bothered to count either. She crushed them like tin cans; they did not even come close to harming a hair on her.

            As the next victim closed up to launch it's assault on the Phoenix, before she even had time to react, a mysterious red blast tore through the sky and ripped one arm right off the Sentinel. Momentarily distracted, the Sentinel turned its attention to the source of the blast.

            _Identity: Mutant. Codename: Cyclops. Affiliation: The X-Men. Target: Destroy._

***

            As soon as he fired that shot, Cyclops had a Sentinel on his tail. Then, in a split second, more flying robots followed. There was no time for second thoughts, and he barely dodged a round of plasma blasts before having the time to turn his gaze and fix it upon taking out one of its legs, with which he released another blast with more force a mere second later, the momentum sending the Sentinel falling backwards. But that did not put it out of action for long when it started firing rounds of ammunition again. More descended from the sky, like a menacing swarm of killer bees, complete with the deafening buzz trailing behind them.

            He ran and ran and weaved in and out of corners and streets, but they were still hot on his heels. Until one finally stunned him with a blast. Cyclops fell forward, face first onto the tarmac surface. The Sentinel hovered above him, a couple of others behind, and took aim.

            But in the next instant, he heard lightning crack, and the sizzle of the Sentinel's electronic circuits. He looked up and caught a glimpse of a lady with white tresses and eyes, before she led more Sentinels away from him. He had failed to notice though, another who came up from behind him, and was just about to slam its fist and squash him like an insect, when he felt someone grab him and phase him through the metallic hand. And when he lifted his head again, he saw one Sentinel flung in his direction and crashed into his attacker, courtesy of his team mate Rogue. The X-Men were back in action. He picked himself up brusquely and continued with the hit and run tactics.

***

            Discreetly, amongst all the fighting, the X-helicopter landed itself on one of the buildings in Washington D.C. Charles Xavier had been monitoring the situation and it was not looking good. They had more trouble than they had bargained for, like what Danielle had told them. Jean had to be stopped, as well as the Sentinels. And the X-Men needed back up.

            "And this is your idea of conveying your peace message Charles?" The older man with a head of silver-white hair spoke.

            "My people are under attack Erik. As much as I hate to admit it, a war has been waged against us, and we are merely trying to defend ourselves. If my X-Men should fall, the Sentinels will come after you sooner or later."

            "But I see your X-Men are faring well even without our help." Magneto raised a sceptical eyebrow.  

            "We need your help to take down the Phoenix. I need you to distract the Sentinels away from Jean, so I may confront her without any lethal interference."

            "Very well Charles, as you wish." With one solid gesture, the Brotherhood of Mutants got out of the helicopter, along with Magneto himself.

            Xavier hoped the reinforcement would place strength in numbers. If there was not anyone else he could turn to, it would be Erik. Tensely, he prepped the Cerebro device installed within the helicopter's computer system and waited for the perfect moment that he could strike.

***

            With the Brotherhood on site, more Sentinels were distracted out of the sky. The Phoenix had begun to notice the dwindling numbers of Sentinels. And there were now more pesky little mutants running about, with Sentinels chasing after them; like cat and mice.

            "Meddling fools."

            Just then, a huge magnetic pulse-wave was generated, taking out a couple of tens of Sentinels in the sky as their circuits were fried. But it did more, catching the Phoenix off-guard a little and sent her flying some considerable distance into the air. Stunned by this new attacker somewhat, she quickly caught sight of him. Reaching out with a telekinetic grasp, she grabbed him with invisible gigantic fingers, squeezing the life out of him for an instant, before slamming him into a building, having the concrete rain on him. He was good as buried alive.

            Just as the Phoenix thought she had been finished with her attacker, another assault hit her, literally in the head. This attack was a psionic one, which pulled her psyche onto the Astral Plane itself. Her human body, as good as abandoned tumbled from the sky. Midair, she fell into the sturdy hands of Rogue, who carried her gently down and passed her to Cyclops. He in turn brought her to hideout in some nook and cranny carved out of a crumbled side of a building.

***

            The Astral Plane was a familiar sight; the universe where stars sparkled and shined with crystal clarity. Her blue silhouette scouted the area cautiously.

            _Come out old man where I can see you!_

_            I'm right here Jean. _He had come mentally prepared, donned in psychic armour and ready for battle. He brandished his sword.

            _I have no need for weapons. I'll take you with my bare hands._ There was an evil gleam in her eyes.

            _Suit yourself Jean,_ He took a stance and swung his sword at her.

            Immediately, she threw up a telekinetic shield acting on pure instinct, and countered his blow.

            Back in the helicopter, Xavier's form was quivering slightly, and beads of perspiration formed. Even with Cerebro which amplified his powers, he was afraid that it might not be enough against the Phoenix.

            _Jean,_ He called out, searching for the vaguest hint of her mental signature. The one that belonged to his prodigy. _Jean, I know you can fight this. Help me fight the __Phoenix__._

_            I...I can't...ugh...she's too powerful...she's..._That weak mental voice vanished and was replaced with that of a sharp cackle. _She will not succumb to your pleas, Charles Xavier. I am far more powerful!_ With that remark, the Phoenix hurled his psyche across the galaxy.

            Gasping for breathe, but regaining his composure, Xavier probed deeper into her mind, trying to penetrate the depths where Jean was being held captive in her own minds and swamped by her very own fears. He saw the frightened child of ten years ago, hidden beneath the surface of practiced confidence.

            _Jean, if so help yourself. You're the only one who can save yourself from this insanity._

_            I can't..._she shuddered spontaneously, huddled.

            _Jean, what happened to the strong girl that I knew and loved?_

She shook her head, _I'm sorry professor, I just can't keep her suppressed any longer. Just end this for me please. Shut my mind off. That's the only way you can stop her..._

_            We can do this together Jean. You need to give yourself the chance. You have so much more to live for._

_            I..._Then suddenly, this mirage disappeared.

            Xavier amplified his telepathy even more. He was not about to give up on hope.

***

            The fighting refused to cease. And once too often the Sentinels cruised past them. Cyclops pressed his form further against the wall and hiding himself in the shadows, careful not to stir any sounds. He cradled the limp female form in his arms, and pressed his forehead to hers. He tried to hold back the tears and the guilt that was eating away at him. It was partially his fault that Jean had turned into such a creature. His gentle, precious Jean had been transformed into this vicious monster. _But there was nothing you could really do anyway,_ he tried to reason with himself, brushing the tangled red locks from her face.

            Then, from her dry lips, a soft moan escaped, following that, her body spasmed, before relaxing again into the previous state she was in.

            He watched on helplessly and restlessly, fear wrenching his heart.

***

            "C'mon, a lil' closer," Rogue taunted the towering metallic figure. While it reached out awkwardly to grab her, lithe and stealth, she dived down for the legs and crushed it. Then picked the Sentinel up and proceeded to swing it like a bat three hundred and sixty degrees round and around, before releasing it into the air. At the same time, Blob did exactly the same, flinging the Sentinel like a ragged doll into the sky and in Rogue's direction, such that the two robots collided with each other, and with that, exploded. She flashed him a smile and a wink, before directing her attention to the other one which was sent her way.

            Down the street, there was the cajun Gambit, bo staff in hand, leaping through the air gracefully and executed somersaults, missing the Sentinel's blows again and again. When he finally managed to perch himself atop its shoulder, he charged his cards and stuck them down the back of the robot where it was most vulnerable and the main circuits accessible. When it started exploding, he jumped off, landing on his feet like that of a cat, in a crouched position.  

            Maniacal laughter accompanied that of Pyro as he kept dousing the Sentinel in flames. Avalanche triggered earthquakes and made the road crumble beneath the Sentinel, which promptly lost its balance. Falling, Shadowcat phased through the robot, and peculiarly, this action caused the circuits to be shorted. They exchanged a flirtatious grin. This was a pair which was apparently getting along very well.

            Up in the sky, it was more of Storm's domain. Like Zeus, she commanded lightning bolts from the dark clouds and sent them after the Sentinels. Of course, there were other elements at her disposal as well, but this was the quickest and yielded the most impact. Though Iceman had tried tossing huge ice boulders in the Sentinels' direction, it was not working out as well as he thought it might. On his tail however, it was hexed by Scarlet Witch. Quicksilver and his speed, as well as Nightcrawler with his teleportation merely confused the Sentinels as the robots launched themselves minutes too late in their direction. Colossus pitted the brute strength of his organic metal form against the synthetic form of that of the robot.

            Wolverine and X-23 let their feral nature lash out at the Sentinels, claws extended and sunk into the bodies of the robots, just ripping at anything in plain sight. While it took them longer, they had managed to fell the robot in the end. Abruptly, Wolverine stopped in his tracks and sniffed at the air.

            "Fury. S.H.I.E.L.D. What da ya know about their operatives? Maybe if we can find them and put an end to all this."

            Wordlessly, X-23 signalled to him to follow her. Maybe there was an easier way to halt this fighting madness.

***

            Charles Xavier gritted his teeth and gripped the armrest of his pilot seat. This psyche battle was putting a major strain on his physical body. The amplification was almost at its maximum.

            _Jean!_

            _Ugh!_ Jean was pushing and forcing. It was a Jekyll and Hyde struggle, and her Phoenix persona had refused to comply. It was hard to fight to champion over the other mind which was inhibiting the same body. The Astral Plane silhouette started to glow, just as it did once before when she had confronted her mentor, who was under Apocalypse's mind control. The glow spread out of her psychic form and bled into the darkness of the tranquil surroundings. Her arms took the shape of wings as her form grew brighter and whiter. The glaring white light slowly consumed the entire universe and imploding soundlessly, flinging the two combatants out the Astral Plane proper.

            The impact was also felt by Xavier's physical form, and threw him forward from his seat where he remained safety buckled. Sitting there, he plunged into this daze, eyes gazing out aimlessly. His psyche had yet to regain himself.

            And while in his arms, Jean's physical body began to glow brightly with the illusion of flames consuming her as she had begun to stir.

            "UGH!" She let out a scream as her body jerked readily.

            "Jean?" Cyclops had started to panic again.

            The crevice they had been hiding in started to tremble and loose bricks started crumbling. Then, as abruptly as it started, the shaking stopped. And she was calm once more. Her eyelids fluttered open and she took in the sight before her.

            "Hi."

            "Hi, yourself." She managed weakly.

            "Jean, it really is you...I'm so sorry for everything...there's so much I want to tell you...I..."

            He had wanted to lean in to embrace her, but stopped short at the sight of the towering giant that stood before them. Jean let out a shriek.

            _Identity: Mutants. Target: Destroy._

            Eerily, the flame returned to her eyes. Stiffly, she stood up, and with the flick of her wrist, flung the Sentinel to the sidewalk.

            "Jean?"

            But there was no response as she continued to venture out into the daylight, telekinetically shoving aside Sentinels which got remotely near their hiding place.

            "Jean?"          

            "You'd better leave while you still can. I don't know if I can hold up much longer." In truth, she had been referring to keeping both the Sentinels the Phoenix at bay.

            "But I'm not leaving you here Jean!"

            "Scott, don't be stupid, just go! Go while you can!" She pushed him back with her telekinesis, trying to nudge him out of the way.

            "I've done far more stupid things than this. I'm not leaving you!" Obstinately, he tried to force his way back on his own will power. "Jean!"

            "Just leave me alone!" With Jean distracted, the Sentinel took its chance and fired at the redhead. She fell forward onto her knees. With her hold lost on Scott, he ran forward to her side.

            "Scott, please," the tears were starting to form in her eyes.

            "I'm here," he whispered as he hugged her. "I love you, and I'm not leaving ever again." From the corner of his eye, he saw the Sentinel take aim at their heads. But he would be damned if he did not die with her. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst as he imagined the robot powering up its plasma blast for a lethal blow.

            As the Sentinel fired on full power, Scott felt his position change. Jean had spun them around and thrown herself on top of him, lying sprawled on the ground. After that, the world went black.

***

_Review! _

_(I really apologise for the cliff-hanger. Check back in a month or so! :D)_


	11. Chapter Eleven

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Heya, I'm back from the depths of oblivion. Nothing much more to say, so...enjoy! :)

***

Chapter Eleven

            Stumbling down the stairs of an old and almost abandoned building, his senses brought him to the basement. Reinforced steel doors were no match for his adamantium claws and he soon tore down the door anyway. He took in the sight before him. Good lord, they employed a whole department of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be put in charge of the new Sentinels.

            "Fury, stop this madness this instance! Ya goin' ta kill us all!"

            "I'm sorry Logan, but that's a negative request," Fury spoke firmly.

            X-23 by Wolverine's side scowled menacingly. Wolverine put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll negotiate this, kid." She nodded, and stepped back, unsheathing her claws and folded her arms.

            "I was under strict orders by the government to capture, dead or alive, the mutant terrorizing Washington D.C."

            "We take care of our own kind Fury, now disengage that programme!" Wolverine raised his voice and stepped closer.

            "I can't."          

            "Ya goin' ta kill her!"

            Fury turned his back toward Wolverine and walked away.

            "Don't turn ya back on me Fury."

            "Leave, before I'll have orders to dispose of you and your partner, Wolverine."

            "No one turns their back on the Wolverine." With that, he lunged forward and grabbed Fury, who countered and threw him off his back. Wolverine somersaulted in the air and landed deftly on his feet, immediately assuming a crouched position.

            "Get them!" Fury barked an order, causing his men to scramble into position and arming themselves with whatever weapons they could land their hands on.

            Without missing a beat, X-23 unsheathed her claws and leapt into the air. She had been trained for such activities all her life, and now she was putting it to good use. Rampantly barging her way through, her adamantium claws sliced through the guns like a knife would paper. Gun parts and bullets clattered to the ground as she delivered vicious fists to their heads as Wolverine and Fury brawled in a far corner. While the men were preoccupied with regaining their senses, X-23 hurried over to the main CPU and hacked into the computer system, fingers flying furiously over the keyboard.

            "What's she doing?!" Fury demanded irately, managing to kick Wolverine off him, before he came back with a flying tackle.

            An officer approached X-23. "System override, sir."  He promptly received a kick to his head that knocked him out. X-23 returned to carry out her final override procedures.

            "Don't just stand there, get her!"

            But at that instance, she hit the 'return' key, broadcasting a frequency which would cause serious circuitry damage to every Sentinel out there.

***

            Bright light was peering through the rumble when Cyclops came to. His first instinct was to survey his surroundings. No, he was not dead yet; he was half buried in debris, an unconscious Jean was sprawled on top of him. The Sentinel which had attacked them earlier crumbled to the ground, with the faint frizzle of its damaged electronic circuitry.

            "Jean?" With his free hand, he pushed her tangled mass of red hair from her face and caressed it. Her breathing was shallow and infrequent. "Jean! Somebody help!"

            _Don't panic, think, think,_ he tried to calm himself while he felt around in his mind for that faint familiar buzz that resonated previously. It was a futile grope in pitch blackness; their link was dead, not even a mere static buzz. There was no reception. "Jean? Jean?" He was sure his expression was one that was about to break down in tears, when he heard footsteps.

            "Scott? Like what happened here?" Kitty approached, slightly out of breath. 

            But Piotr went straight to work, hurling huge chunks of debris away.

            "Phase Jean out first Kitty, she's hurt!"

            "But if she's hurt I'm afraid I could..."

            "Just do it Kitty!"

            "Alright, alright," Kitty gestured for Colossus to stop temporarily (fearing any sudden displacement of concrete blocks could injure Jean further) while she phased her hands through the rumble.

            "And be careful."

            Kitty felt for Jean's arms and slid hers under Jean's before pulling her out of the debris. Half-dragging and half-carrying Jean's limp body, Kitty settled her against a partially crumbled brick wall. By that time, Colossus had removed enough debris that Scott could wriggle loose from his trapped position. Colossus helped him to his feet. He had sustained minor cuts and bruises, but Jean was not a pretty sight to see. Her exposed arms were scarred and her left leg twisted in such a way which meant it was most probably broken.

            "Jean? Jean wake up," Scott walked over and sat down beside her, drawing her broken frame close to him. Cradling her, he began rocking slightly back and forth. "Kitty, where's Doctor McCoy?"

            "I...I think he's like tending to Magneto and the Professor in the X-Jet."

            With that, Scott scooped Jean in his arms and stood up, quivering slightly. "We have to get her back to the jet," he stumbled slightly walking out. Piotr steadied him. Scott refused his offer to help; he could carry Jean himself.

***

            "Hank!" Scott came running (and stumbling) up the X-Jet. Beast was tending to the professor, and a seemingly unconscious Magneto. Both X-Men and the Brotherhood turned their attention to him as he pushed past the small crowd and lay Jean down in one empty corner.

            "My stars and garters! What happened to her?"

            "The Sentinel tried to fry us...I...she got...hurt real bad," Scott stammered, and the tears threatened.

            "Come on Scott, you need to sit down. Let Hank deal with her." Ororo helped Scott to a nearby chair. He was clearly exhausted. They all were.

            "No, Jean, she needs me."

            "Calm down Scott, Jean's going to be fine. You need rest."

            "Fury! What are ya doing here?" Wolverine growled at their uninvited guest.

            "I have been given orders to apprehend Jean Grey."

            "The kid ain't done nothing wrong."

            "She killed Roberts and God knows how many more people, terrorized the whole of D.C., how much more proof do you want?"

            "She's a good kid, and now she's hurt pretty bad."

            "Jean's pulse and vital signs are weak; we have to get her back to the mansion pronto!" Hank called from the back of the jet.

            "No one is going anywhere until you surrender the girl!" Fury ordered forcefully.

            "And what if we don't?" Wolverine extended his claws threateningly.

            "Then I'll arrest all of you!"

            "You can't handle us all Fury. And what if you take Jean away? You think your men can handle her?"

            "We have facilities Logan."

            "And we take care of our own kind Fury."

            "Colonel please," Charles Xavier interjected, "Jean would fair better under our charge."

            "I need to get Jean back to the medlab now!" Hank raised his voice once more.

            "I have been given orders." Fury gestured for his men to raise their weapons.

            This time, Wanda stepped forward and out of the jet, flanked by the Brotherhood. Her hands were charged with a bluish glow, and she immediately proceeded to hex all of Fury's men, including him. "Hurry! Leave now!" 

            Responding immediately, Scott jumped from his seat and prepped the jet. Firing up the engines, the jet took off into the sky.

            "Dammit!" Fury watched helplessly as the X-Men slipped from his grasp.

            "So," Toad voiced, "you guys are from S.H.I.E.L.D.? Cool."

***

            Cyclops landed the jet with practiced ease into the hanger. Nightcrawler teleported out of the jet and appeared seconds later with an emergency gurney outside. Hank held Jean in his huge arms while Rogue held the IV drip steady as Hank lowered Jean onto the gurney and wheeled her into the medbay.

            Storm had come over and laid a reassuring hand on Scott's shoulder, partially to stop him from running out of the jet. Hank did not need a distraction while he was at work.

            "Scott." A weary professor wheeled over to the cockpit as Colossus and Kitty helped an unconscious Magneto to the medbay.

            "It should have been me in that thing! I...It's all my fault...all this..."

            "It's not your fault Scott. Many unforeseeable events occurred, and with her expended powers...it's just unfortunate." Charles Xavier steepled his fingers.

            "I was the cause of her rage! If I hadn't done so much, than maybe none of this would have happened..." Taking off his visor, he let the tears come. He could not hold up this façade anymore. He felt so much pain, so much guilt.

            "Scott, listen to me. There wasn't anything you could have done to prevent the sudden growth in her powers. All of us couldn't have done anything as well."

            "So it's just her luck that she's lying in the medbay, near death?!"

            "Scott," Ororo spoke this time, "calm down. You're tired, you need rest."

            "I don't need rest! I need to be with Jean!"

            "Scott control yourself! You aren't doing Jean anything good acting like this," the professor sat upright in his chair and voiced firmly. "Take Storm's advice and get some rest. I'll debrief the rest of the team on your behalf."

***

            Returning to his room, he doffed his uniform and opted for a hot shower. Maybe it will help ease his mind a little. He winced as the water hit his wounds, and one too many a times, he rammed an angry fist into the tiled wall. Finally, he collapsed and broke down, crying in a squatted position in the shower. The shower poured from the nozzle, its deafening sound drowned that of his sobs and the water diluted his tears. Scott did not know how long he held that position, but his skin was starting to wrinkle like a prune, and he could barely feel his legs. And his eyes were dry and sore. Shivering as he got out of the shower and dried himself, Scott stumbled blindly into his bedroom, groped around for his dresser, threw on some warm clothing and crawled into bed. Ororo was right; he was so very tired. He tried not to think about anything; he barely slept the night before and his physical body was protesting. A few minutes later, Scott finally gave into exhaustion.

            "_Help me! Please! Somebody! Anybody! Help..."_

_            It was a burning house. He had seen that house before. He saw through the walls; a little girl dressed in white was crying._

_            "Don't let them take me away...please..."_

            "Jean?" Scott shot upright in bed, and instinctively felt for his sleep goggles (which were firmly in place). He rubbed his face under his goggles, and then ran his fingers through his hair. Without a second thought, he threw the covers off him and got out of bed. Slipping into his slippers, he padded quietly downstairs and to the medbay.

***

            Hank had moved her into one of the observation rooms. Her broken leg was in a cast, and her wounds cleaned and bandaged. She was also hooked up to an IV drip and other assorted medical electronic equipment. An eerie steady 'beep' filled the quiet room as Hank paced about, busily taking notes. Magneto was in the neighbouring observation room, attached to similar equipment. Scott passed his room on his way down in search of Jean. He entered Jean's room silently, startling Hank when he turned around and found Scott had suddenly appeared in the room.

            "Scott?" Hank almost dropped his chart. "What are you doing down here?"

            "I...I need to see her." _She was calling for me..._

            "Scott, you can visit tomorrow. Jean's condition just stabilized; she needs some room." Hank's voice was laced with sadness.

            "How's Jean?" Scott looked into Hank's eyes. "Really."

            "I...she's fine, physically. Her pulse has stabilized."

            "But?"

            "But..." Hank sighed. "Come Scott, take a look at this." He gestured towards a small screen. "Jean's body is functioning normally, but there isn't any brain activity registering."

            "You mean she's like...brain dead?" Scott almost fell backwards in shock and horror.

            "I'm not certain if that's the case."

            "Will she ever wake up?"

            "I don't know Scott. I'm sorry."

            Scott sat himself down unceremoniously on the chair beside Jean's bed. He clasped her limp hand in his and brought it to his lips.

            "Scott?" Hank came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

            "I'll be fine." He paused then added. "What's wrong with Mag...Erik?" Scott tilted his head in the direction of the room next door.

            "He took a nasty blow to his head. He may well have developed amnesia, possibly permanently if that part of his nervous system has been damaged irreparably."

            Scott nodded gravely.

            "Get some rest Hank, you've been working too hard."

            "Scott..."

            "I'm fine. I've had some rest. You aren't looking any better yourself. I'd like to stay with Jean for awhile."

            Seeing that no harm would be imminent, Hank surrendered and retired to his quarters. Kitty and Piotr had offered to take turns mending the medbay and would alert him if anything went wrong.

            "Jean...I'm so sorry..." brushing errant stands of her hair from her forehead, he broke out into a hoarse sob once again. 

            "Why didn't you let me save you? I was the idiot; I deserve to be in this state, not you...why?" He laid his head on the side of her bed against her side, he had his eyes closed and his tears were soaking into the sheets. His hair brushed against her fingertips and he grabbed fistfuls of her sheets. The monotonous 'beep' of the machines and the low hum of the air conditioning soon lulled him to sleep.

***

            To mark the end of an eventful day, Logan decided a cigar was in order. The night air was still as he exited through the back door of the kitchen. Too much had happened recently, and he needed breathing space to clear his thoughts. And leaving the mansion for the night was a strict no-no. In many aspects, it was too dangerous a risk. Stepping out into the porch, he had a clear view of the half moon and some stars. And a peculiar silhouette in the shadows.

            "Hey kid. I'd thought ya would've taken off long ago."

            X-23 turned, her face half illuminated by the faint moonlight, and half in shadow. "If you want me to, I can leave."

            "No no, I...if ya want ta stick around fer awhile, it's fine."

            "It's dangerous out there, and you X-Men could use some help."

            Logan nodded as he sat down on the steps of the porch. He motioned for her to join him on the steps. Reluctantly she inched her way forward and took her spot, but warily kept her distance. Rings of smoke dissipated into the air.

            "So, where ya going ta go after this?" Logan inhaled deeply.

            "I don't know. It's not as if I have anywhere left to go. Hydra's main base has shut down, well at least temporarily. It would be some time before they pick up operations again. And it was none of my business poking around S.H.I.E.L.D. anyway." There was a pause as a light breeze stirred the surroundings, rustling the leaves. "I...I need to find a purpose in life. Hydra designed me to be the perfect weapon...I..."

            "I understand ya kid. I was too. Project: Weapon X. I went on living half a life I don't remember. I don't remember what happened before, but at least I remember what happened after. Charles accepted me and gave me a place in the Institute. He gave me a purpose. I'd lay my hands on anyone who dares harm any of these kids." He clenched his fists, thinking about what all those bastards had done to Jean.

            "Do you think...there's a place for me?"

            "There's a place fer everyone of ya kid. Yer welcome to stay with us anytime."

            "Thanks." She smiled back.

            "Ya should smile more often."

            "And you should smoke less. That is just disgusting." 

            Logan chuckled at that remark. "Like I've been tellin' everyone 'ere. Mind yer own business kid."

            She did what Logan thought was unthinkable. She joined him with a light-hearted laughter.

            "You're all so close, like family. I've always wanted one. I never had one." She unfolded her hands from her lap and stretched her hands out. "All because of this."

            "Yer always welcome 'ere. I don't remember my mother or father, but I 'ure as hell got lotsa kids!"

            She then proceeded to hug him, which admittedly startled Logan. "Thank you."

            "Yer welcome kid. Besides, we're related after all." He took a last puff of his cigar before extinguishing it. "Now, we need ta get ya a name."

            "How 'bout you pick one?"

            "Hmm...I've never named anythin' before." _Well, unless Half-pint, Shades and Porcupine counted as proper names,_ he mused. He pondered for moment. "Rina."

            "Rina?"

            "Ya don't like it kid?"

            "No, anything's fine. I don't know anything about names."

            "Neither do I. So, Rina it is?"

            "Yeah, I guess so..."

            "Well then, Rina, welcome to the X-Men."

***

            The Institute's subbasement was constructed entirely out of steel and other assorted metal material. The corridors were fixed with florescent lighting. It was impossible to tell night from day having stayed in the subbasement for some period of time.

            That morning, Hank McCoy came down early to resume his post as medic, accompanied by Charles Xavier, and to relieve an exhausted Kitty and Piotr.

            Charles Xavier took notice of Scott snoozing by Jean's bedside.

            "He's been down here all night," Hank informed the professor in a hushed voice. "I think we should leave them for awhile."

            "Alright. Let's go see Erik first." Charles Xavier wheeled into Erik's observation room. "How is he Hank?"

            "He'll be fine. But I'm afraid the injury he sustained by the blow dealt by Jean could have rendered him amnesic." 

            The professor steepled his fingers.  

            "But his condition is stable. He should regain consciousness in a couple of days. Jean, I'm afraid..."

            "What's wrong with Jean?" Xavier's worried tone laced his words.

            "I...I don't know how to explain it." Hank quietly exited Erik's room and held the door open for the professor. They went next door to Jean's room.

            Scott was still sprawled on the side of her bed, sleeping silently.

            "The poor boy's exhausted."

            "He refused to return to his room after sneaking down in the night. I had no choice but leave him down here, unless I pried him away from Jean's bedside."

            "Now, about Jean?"

            Hank gestured to the heart monitor. "Her pulse and body are in stable condition. Pulse rate is slightly high, but nonetheless normal. Body temperature, blood pressure, all normal. But..." he pointed to another screen. "I'm not registering any brain activity."

            "Jean's...brain dead?" Xavier stuttered on his words.

            "Presumably in theory, but Jean's body is functioning as per normal without the aid of any crucial life support systems. Even this is baffling me."

            Xavier wheeled closer to Jean's bedside and ran his hand gently over her forehead. At this time, Scott started to stir.

            "Professor?"

            "Yes Scott."

            "I...Jean...what's wrong with her?"

            Charles Xavier shook his head gravely. "I don't know Scott. Henry and I are trying to find an answer to that."

            Scott returned his gaze to Jean and held her hand. It was so cold, and so frail.

            "Scott, I know you're angry and upset. I am too, but you need to be strong. Why don't you go take a breather and get something to eat? Hank and I will take care of her."

            "No thanks, I'd just like to remain with Jean, sir."

            "Scott, please..."

            "I just want to be with Jean when she wakes up. It's all my fault she's in this state..."

            "Scott, you can't stay down here forever." Hank tried to reason.

            "I don't care. She needs me."

            "Jean wouldn't want to see you in this state of mental distress Scott. She'd want you to continue living life the way it was..."

            "How can I with Jean in this state? She was...is my life...I..."

            "Scott, she...sacrificed her life for you..."

            "Don't talk about her as if she's dead! Jean's not dead...she's just...she's...she's just gone...for awhile..." Scott's voice trailed off.

            "The other students look to you for support Scott. We need you."

            "I don't care! What about what I need right now?"

            "What you need right now is a reality check. What if Jean never wakes up? Are you going to live down here forever?"

            "I..." The tears were uncontrollable, and Scott crumbled yet again.

            Charles Xavier wheeled over and put his hand on his shoulder. "She wants you to live Scott. Live for her."

***

Footnotes: In a Marvel AU (alternate universe), Logan and Elektra had a daughter named Rina. I'm sorry, I just like inside jokes. :p

Review! :)


	12. Chapter Twelve

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extra_ter2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Thank you for the reviews! :) With regards to the 'inhibitor', I just crapped up some stuff which probably doesn't make sense (since when did Marvel science make any sense?). I couldn't find any explanation of how the stuff in Marvel-verse worked ., but they did have a picture of the MRA registration form; it's hilarious.

To whom who are concerned: Of course I'm not leaving Jean comatose. My Scottmuse and Jeanmuse will kill me. ^^;

***

Chapter Twelve

            The week that followed was one that none of the Institute was prepared for. A unanimous decision has led the Congress to pass the Mutant Registration Act (due to the recent Phoenix demonstration). There was nothing much Charles Xavier could have done, even though he spent the whole week in a currently-being-rebuilt Washington D.C. trying to persuade the Senate to vote against the Mutant Registration Act. Returning with a heavy heart, he broke the life-changing news to the entire Institute. Needless to say, everyone was distraught. Initially, government officials pressed to sentence Jean Grey to life imprisonment in the secret compound alongside Juggernaut, but that was one small victory Charles Xavier managed to secure. And after hired professionals came to the Institute to examine the "lifeless" form of Jean Grey, and seeing she could technically inflict no harm on others, they reluctantly agreed to the professor's requests.

            The following day after the Mutant Registration Act was passed, it was declared nationwide that all mutants were expected to report to the Department of Justice, Office of ParaHuman Affairs (Mutant Task Force), within the following month, to be registered. The Institute left in two batches; the professor and Scott with the older students, and Ororo and Logan with the younger/new students.

            The procedure was fairly straightforward. They were each issued a simple form to fill in with their personal particulars (and obviously description of mutant powers). A blood sample would then be taken and they would be given a code to identify with. Thankfully, compassionate ruling did not require them to be locked up in padded rooms and drugged to death. Instead, they would be issued with power inhibitors (in a form of wrist bands) complete with their individual codes and a (mutant) identification card. It would be a law to be wearing them at all times, with the exception of one's own home and legalized Institutes like Xavier's where sensible-minded people recognized the need for training institutes (the upside to this is external funding will be sponsored). Inspectors will be carrying routine checkups though to ensure that they are not training mutant terrorists. Civilians were on the lookout for mutants on the streets without their inhibitors. Even if their mutations were purely physical and could not be dampened by the inhibitors, they were still required to wear their inhibitors. Though, there was one group of mutants who were exempted from this rule. The special mutant police force (a division working under S.H.I.E.L.D.) called on to tackle mutants who were flouting the law outright and harming civilians in turn. 

            "Who'd have known that the Brotherhood would be playing the good guys?" Scott threw that into the conversation as he sat in a room filling in his registration form. To his knowledge, the X-Men would effectively be retired from the scene. And the Brotherhood will be taking over their job. How ironic.

            "Ja, who'd have guessed zhey vould end up vorking for S.H.I.E.L.D.," Kurt responded. "Vait, what class exactly am I again?"    

            Kitty scrutinized the classification again. "I think we are all, like, in class one. Extra-physical, although it doesn't like list teleportation or phasing."

            "Or even suckin' ta lahfe outta somebody," Rogue added. "How am ah gonna explain mah flyin' abilities?"

            Despite the gloom, there was still good natured bantering amongst friends while they waited for their individual physical checkups to verify the accuracy of their written bio-data and stats.  The group watched on as Scott was one of the first to be called upon for his checkup.

            "So, concussive force blasts, from the eyes," the doctor read off his documents. "Equivalent to10 kilotonnes of TNT at full power. Your body absorbs and converts solar energy into your mutation." 

            Scott effectively nodded. "I suffered a minor brain damage due to an accident as a child," he cringed slightly at that statement, "so I can't control my powers without any external aid." He gestured to his visor.

            The doctor approached closer, wanting to examine this peculiar eyewear. Scott produced a spare pair of shades from his breast pocket of his shirt and handed them to the curious doctor. "These, are what I normally wear, to contain my blasts. But it's not as effective as the visor, which allows me to control the output of the blasts."

            Turning the shades with his fingers, the doctor inquired. "What material is this made of?"

            "Ruby Quartz. Chemically modified Rose Quartz, a sorta denser structure."

            "Interesting. Now, would you kindly proceed with a demonstration of your powers, Mr Summers?"

            Scott proceeded to punch a hole through a solid mock brick wall, and then a steel wall, to test the extent of his powers. His accuracy and delicacy were also tested, as well as his so called "bouncing". After that, a blood sample was drawn, and an inhibitor configured for his own use. This technology was in the works over the past year, developed by well-known inventor Reed Richards. For the past couple of weeks, Henry McCoy's expertise on mutants and genetics was called upon to help with the final modifications of the inhibitor.

            Scott weighed the light-weight inhibitor in his hand. "So how does this gadget work?"

            "It is supposed to suppress your powers. It sends a nerve signal to the portion of the brain we identified as responsible for your mutant powers and shuts it down temporarily or in other words, disrupts the nerve signals. Your individual inhibitor is hot-wired to your genetic code, and only the identified mutant wearing the correct inhibitor is able to remove it at appropriate locations. Other mutants can wear it and still have their powers inhibited, but they will not be able to take them off. And, if wearing the inhibitor, willing your powers to work will result in an electromagnetic shock through your body, and at the same time, a force-field will be formed around your body. Intensity of such defence mechanism will increase with the magnitude of your powers. Using your powers at full blast will render you unconscious, in theory. It will have to depend on your level of tolerance towards it."

            Scott was halfway lost through the whole explanation thing. "Wait, so this thing effectively stops your powers from working?"

            "Aside from permanent physical mutations, yes."

            Scott put the inhibitor on to give it a test. With shaking hands, he took off his visor, eyes still tightly shut. Opening his eyes slowly, he found his vision still a hazy red, but he was not damaging anything. There was a slight tinge of bitter-sweetness; this was what he had secretly hoped for. To be one day able to see without the aid of his shades or visor, and without destroying anything that stood in his path. He was beginning to actually feel good about this whole Mutant Registration Act. As long as they were not going to lock them up in padded rooms.

***

            Even with his new (and delightful) discovery, for good measure, he still wore his shades. He was not fully confident in this inhibitor yet, and would not want to risk it in public. Back in the mansion, he spent some time in front of the mirror in his room. He found his appearance weird without the shades or the visor, because he grew accustomed to them over the years. But nonetheless, he was still excited and trotted down to the subbasement to speak to Jean about this 'miracle'. In tears of joy and pain, he wished greatly that she would awaken and be able to look into his eyes, and describe the exact shade of his pupils to him.

            No matter how long he wished he could keep on wearing this inhibitor, his optic blasts threatened to be released. With the constant build up of solar energy absorbed by his body and storage of energy, it aggravated his migraines. Reluctantly, he still had to allow for his powers to be released. Some others like Kitty and Kurt however, found the inhibitors extremely exasperating, and found every chance available to take them off. Scott figured it was due to the fact that they were able to fully control their powers, and their powers were actually useful in everyday life, unlike his.

            Thus, apart from Danger Room sessions, Scott would be seen walking around with his inhibitor. When he was not down in the subbasement with Jean, he would be out on the boat dock, admiring the beauty of the lake, undeterred by the light snowfall. As the days passed, Scott discovered, that with the less frequent he wore ruby quartz, the red haze that clouded his vision seemed to lighten, even if a little. He had spent the past few days out there considering the professor's words. Was his life worth wasting over a stupid mistake? He still had a Masters degree to complete in the two years he had left in his course. But there was this part in him that could not bear to part with Jean. Somehow or other, he knew she needed him; to guide her back. Except he did not know how to reach out to her. Dozens of times he fell asleep at night (this time with his inhibitor instead of his goggles), with visions of a little girl trapped in a burning house.

            At dawn, he would sneak out to the boathouse to watch the sun rise, even though it was winter and obviously freezing. One such morning, he was sitting on the dock staring out across the frozen lake when he heard footsteps upon the crunched snow.

            "Hey."

            Scott turned abruptly. It was Rogue.

            "Am ah interruptin' anythin'?"

            "No, I was just startled." He smiled faintly. She returned his smile as she sat on the dock beside him.

            "So, whatcha doin' out 'ere? Ah was up early and trailed ya out ta 'ere."

            "Nothing much...I...when we were younger, Jean and I loved to come out to the boatdock, anytime, any day, any season. Jean loved winter the most. We used to come out here and do kid stuff, snow angels, sticking our tongues out to catch snowflakes, freeze to death," he snorted and painfully swallowed. "I missed those days, I miss her..." He blinked and the tears started falling.

            "Ah'm sorry, ah didn't mean ta..."

            "It's okay, I've never been able to cry like this ever since I had my powers and the brain damage. I kinda feel good..." He wiped a stray tear from his cheek.

            Rogue looked down at her gloved hands. (Well, it is winter.) "When ah first came 'ere and went to Bayville High, ah had this crush on ya. But ya only had eyes fer Jean, and ah was envious. Ah mean how can anyone love me if they couldn't even touch me. Sometimes, ah wished ah could trade mah powers to be able ta touch someone without hurtin' 'em. Kinda like now." There was silence for awhile. "How does it feel like ta be touched?"

            "I can't really explain it, you'll feel safe and loved I guess."

            "Could you, touch me? Ah wanna know how it feels like ta be touched, ta be loved."

            Scott brought his hand up to cup one side of her face. Rogue flinched slightly; it was a normal reaction for her, living with her kind of powers for so long. When she conquered her nerves, she closed her eyes and revelled in his touch. As he withdrew, she opened her eyes and looked into his hazel ones. She knew he was not able to tell the colour of her eyes, but she could see his.

            "Ya have beautiful brown eyes, Scott."

            "And you're a beautiful girl, Rogue. Someday, you'll meet someone who will appreciate you."

            "Thanks, Scott. Yer a good friend ta have."

            "You too, Rogue."

            "So," Rogue said, trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject. "We're da only two weirdos in ta Institute now? Everyone is always dying ta get this things off when they get the chance ta." She held out her wrist, on which was the inhibitor.

            Scott shrugged. "I like to keep mine on just because."

            Rogue nodded lightly. Control had always been a struggle for them. Now they could see and feel, what most people took for granted.

***

            _Jean? Jean, can you hear me?_ Charles Xavier brought his fingers to his temples and probed deeper into the depths of her mind. It was so bleak, like a dark bottomless pit; you just kept falling into it.

            He pressed on. Her mind was still alive in there somewhere. Intuition told him so, and Jean was not an individual who would give up without a fight. He refused to give up hope either. He had salvaged her from such a situation before when her telepathy first manifested. He will do it again. He had lost his son, David; he will not lose Jean as well.

            Xavier delved deeper where it got colder and darker. Sadly, he _felt_ his way further in; he remembered when Jean's mind was full of warmth and a myriad of bright and vibrant flares, like the Aurora Borealis. Right now, she had locked herself in her inner most thoughts, and he was merely scratching futilely at the surface.

            _Jean?_ The silence in her mind was deafening. He let out a mental sigh.

            Suddenly, out of the darkness, a bubbly giggle drifted towards him. He turned abruptly, but saw nothing. _Jean? Where are you?_

            Then, there it was again as his ears picked up another bout of giggles. It hung lightly in the still atmosphere like a ghostly tune. Just as the laughter started, the surroundings began to lighten and brighten, like heavy dark curtains being raised. He saw white walls of a house, and polished wooden floors. There was furniture. Wait, he recognized this place. This was Jean's house, as it appeared when he first met her in person. He heard the pitter-patter of footsteps. He turned, and there was a flash of red hair and a white nightgown. 

            _Jean?_ Xavier found himself at the bottom of the flight of stairs, one hand firmly gripping the banister. He strained his ears to listen, but this time around, he heard sobs coming from upstairs. Slowly, he climbed the steps, a feat which was impossible in reality, but this is the astral plane and all in the mind. _Jean?_ He walked down the corridor to the room on the left at the end where the cries seemed to have originated, which he deduced was her room. He had never "stepped" into her room before as all the previous house-call lessons were always carried out in the dining room under the watchful eye of Elaine Grey. Xavier dismissed such memories as he approached the door. It was ajar, and he pushed it open lightly.

            And there she was, curled up in the far corner, knees drawn to her chest and her head buried in them as she rocked back and forth. Her room was stark empty with faded wallpaper and furious scribbles and scrawls (quite indecipherable) in the handwriting of that of a typical child. In contrast, the rest of the house was fully furnished and the walls were fresh.

            Xavier moved forward cautiously and wordlessly. The floors creaked with every step, and he tried to approach as quietly as possible as not to startle her. But the noises that came from the floorboards still gave him away. She perked up, with swollen red eyes, tousled hair, and stared straight into his eyes with her piercing green irises. _Jean?_

            _You're coming to take me away?_

_            No, no I..._

_            They're coming, you must be one of them._

_            Who's coming Jean?_

_            Them. They took everything. They said I'd be next._

_            No one is taking you away. I've come to help you. _Xavier voiced as gently as he could, trying to coax her out of her shell.

            She looked at him with the docile doe eyes, and he expected her to come running to him as she stood up. But the next moment, she started throwing a hysterical fit. _Get away from me! You're coming to get me! I knew it!_ She retreated into another corner and pressed her back against the wall.

            _Jean? Don't you recognise me?_

_            NO! Stop it! I don't wanna hear anymore! _She screamed louder each time, in a glass-shattering pitch.

            _Jean, please..._

            Just then, the room started spinning violently. Coupled with her screams, it was making him slightly nauseous. And when the room finally stopped spinning, the inertia threw him off balance and into the wall. Into a padded wall. The room was now tinier, with clinical white padded walls and a locked reinforced door with a plastic see-through window. Jean was still in her corner, unconscious and fitted with a straightjacket.

            _Charles..._

Everything faded to white.

***

            "Charles? Professor," Hank placed a hand on the professor's shoulder.

            It took Xavier a moment before his psyche returned to his physical body. "Hmm..."

            "Are you alright, Charles? You look dazed." Hank did a quick survey.

            "I'm fine, Henry." Xavier blinked continually for a few seconds. "I spoke to Jean...briefly...on the Astral Plane..."

            Hank's eyes opened wider and his body gesture suggestively prodded the professor on. "I was...trying to draw her out...until you interrupted me."

            "I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

            "It's alright Hank, I wasn't halfway near success anyway." The professor spoke reassuringly. "Did you want anything?"

            "Mag...er...Erik has awoken."

            "Really?" Charles Xavier's mood seemed to have lightened a little at that bit of good news. "How is he?"

            "Physically, he is fine and recovering. His broken leg has set and might take a couple of months. Regarding his mental state, you might want to carry out an analysis yourself. For the record, he doesn't seem to have any memory of the...Phoenix" -- Hank swallowed -- "incident, or any recent past events."

            Xavier steepled his fingers. "Alright, take me to him Hank."

            Hank got behind the professor's wheelchair and proceeded to wheel him next door.

            Erik Lensherr was sitting up in his bed, albeit awkwardly with his broken leg suspended in a cast. Seeing visitors approach, Erik put away the newspapers. "Good morning Professor."

            "Good morning Erik. How are you?" Xavier inquired.

            "Fine overall, or that's what Henry told me." Erik gave the blue Beast a gentle smile, which was very unlike the Magneto they knew.

            "I'll leave you two to engage in a little chit-chat while I go check on Jean's condition." With that, Hank padded out of the room.

***

Review!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extrater2estrial

Pairing: S/J 

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews. :) I promise Jean will come around _soon_.

---

Chapter Thirteen

"Really Erik, how are you?"

"A broken leg, some bruises and a badly wounded head, Professor."

Charles Xavier's eyes darted from the leg in the huge cast to the matching white bandages on the man's head. There were still faint pale pink blotches on the cloth. He would have to get Hank to examine the stitches and change the bandages later. "Please, call me Charles. Do you remember what happened?"

Erik shook his head lightly. "I don't have any memory of what happened." There was a pause, before he added. "Where am I? Who are you people?" 

"I am Professor Charles Xavier. I run a school for the _gifted_. You suffered a nasty fall after an...attack. We brought you here for medical attention. The doctor who attended to you is one of my staff, Dr Henry McCoy."

"Why are you helping me?"

"You have a special _condition_. If you were sent to a hospital, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to attend to...your special needs." Xavier leaned forward in his wheelchair and met Erik's eyes. _Dammit__ Erik, what game are you trying to play?_

"What is this special _condition_ you speak of?" 

"You are a mutant, like all of us at this Institute. Each of us has a super-human ability."

"Ah," Erik voiced, as if enlightened. "It explains for my _ability_ to attract metal."

"More precisely, you are able to manipulate magnetic currents, thus gaining total control over all forms of electromagnetism. With this, you are able to levitate yourself and manipulate all metallic objects, project concussive blasts and generate force fields." Xavier narrated this from the back of his mind. Did Magneto really lose his mind (pun intended)?

Erik nodded at selected moments. "How do you know so much about me Charles? Who are you? Who am I?"

Xavier was taken aback for a second. How was he going to broach this subject? "I...knew you Erik. We were...are friends from a long way back. Don't you remember anything? Your wife and children? How your powers manifested?" He was half-worried and half in disbelief.

And there was the inevitable denial of any knowledge of these. Erik seemingly struggled to remember even the slightest hint of his past, but his mind was just a blank. Regrettably, he shook his head and Xavier was half-saddened when realisation that Erik could be permanently amnesiac.

"What kind of a man was I, Charles?" Erik asked, breaking the silence.

Xavier looked up from his steepled fingers. "Are you sure you want to know? Maybe some things are just better left unsaid."

"You can't hide it from me Charles. I read the papers. I was referred to as 'mad', 'merciless' and" -- Erik raised his eyebrow -- "'Magneto'? I infer that it is a derivative of magnet and effectively describes my powers."

Charles Xavier could not help but chuckle lightly at that statement.

---

The professor found Hank McCoy scribbling on Jean's chart when he wheeled into her observation ward.

"How is she Hank?"

Sadly, Hank shook his head. "There has been no change. I don't know how long this is going to last. I'm afraid, truthfully speaking, she might not recover."

"Don't lose hope. We must have faith that Jean will find her way back to us."

There was a soft rapping on the (open) door.

"Come in Scott." Xavier turned his head to see the young man walk in. He rarely wore his signature pair of ruby quartz glasses now that he had found a new security in the dreaded inhibitor. "What can I do for you?" He sensed the tenseness radiating from Scott.

"I have made a decision, sir. I'll be returning to CUNY to complete the rest of my studies."

Xavier smiled. "That's good news to hear, Scott. When will you be leaving?"

"Tomorrow. I already missed technically a week's worth of classes, so the sooner the better."

Xavier nodded.

"I'd like to focus my time on studying, so I'd probably be spending the whole of the next two years on campus, if that's alright with you, sir."

"Of course it's alright Scott. Take as long as you need." He had deep wounds that needed healing, and some time away from the mansion would also do him a great deal of good. "I'm glad you're starting to think positively again."

"Thank you, sir."

"Do you require any special arrangements to be made?"

"It's all been taken care of, Professor."

Xavier nodded; Scott was Scott.

"I just have one special request, sir."

"Yes, Scott?"

"Take good care of Jean for me."

"We will Scott. Rest assured."

"Thank you."

"Charles, the CAT scans for Erik are ready, would you like to examine them?" Hank diverted the attention from Jean.

"Yes, we should. Lead the way, Hank."

The two adults exited the room, leaving Scott to spend some quiet moments with Jean.

---

A few more weeks passed and life at the Institute returned to normal. Student recruitment also grew sizeably in numbers, and Logan and Ororo constantly found the students to be quite a handful. There was never a dull moment, but then again, there has not been a dull moment since the first day.

"We must be getting old," Ororo joked. On this bright sunny morning, they were putting the new recruits through a training exercise.

"Tell me about it," Logan replied, keeping a watchful eye on all the activity that was going on. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a couple of students fiddling around playfully with some of the equipment. "Hey, hey! Whatcha guys think yer doing?" He barked. "Drake! Yer s'posed ta be watchin' 'em!"

"Sorry Mr Logan!" He heard Bobby call from a distance.

Logan slapped his forehead. "Who put this kid in charge?"

"I believe it was Charles," Ororo stated matter-of-factly.

He groaned. "Who in ta right mind would wanna become an instructor anyway? Must be hangin' around One-Eye too long."

"Well, you have to give Bobby some credit. Besides, this is coming from an instructor himself." Ororo laughed.

"Oh shut up 'Ro."

---

"Are you sure this is the right room?" Clarice looked nervously at Theresa.

"Aye, that's what both the cook and Mr McCoy said."

The institute's chambermaid Mariah had been down with the flu, and the cook had called upon the first student to deliver breakfast to a certain guest residing in the mansion. The two students happened to be Clarice and Theresa, who were incidentally looking to hiding from that morning's training session.

"They said he's a nasty old man, and a 'bad guy'." Clarice steadied the tray in her hands and looked at the door. "You knock." She urged the other girl.

"I'm not gonna knock. Ye can knock if ye want to."

"I'm carrying the tray, so you have to knock." Clarice stuck her tongue out.

Theresa sighed as she lifted her arm and rapped softly on the door three times. There was no answer.

"You've gotta knock harder than that."

Theresa frowned and proceeded to deliver a set of harder knocks when the doorknob suddenly turned and the door opened. Startled, she let out a small shriek before covering her mouth abruptly. Clarice was thankful the glass didn't shatter.

"Mariah?"

The two girls peered in the doorway. "She's...erm...sick today. The cook sent us instead." Clarice almost squeaked.

"Well then, come on in girls. I don't bite but I'm starved. I would have gone down to get breakfast myself, but Dr McCoy insisted I should not move my leg yet." With ease, he floated the metal tray from Clarice's hands to him.

"You're telekinetic?" Curious, Clarice inquired.

"No, I'm only good with metal. I can manipulate magnetic currents." Demonstrating, he lifted the metal fork and floated it to his fingers. The girls looked on. "So, what can you two do?"

"I'm a teleporter," Clarice chirped.

"Well, I..." Theresa stalled for a little while, and got a nudge from Clarice. "I can scream real loud and make ye deaf and shatter glass and stuff. Not a very good power, is it?"

"It's not that. We're all different in our own way, powers or not, we have to learn to accept them." Erik spoke after swallowing a mouthful of his breakfast.

"Yeah, be glad you don't have to walk around in purple skin and pointy ears."

"There yer are, I've been lookin' all o'er fer ya girls," Logan appeared in the doorway, surprising the girls.

"Mr Logan! We were..."

"Skippin' my trainin' sessions again? 'Mr Drake' must be goin' soft on ya." 

"Sorry, Mr Logan."

Logan looked at Erik. "Are they botherin' ya?"

"No," Erik sipped at his tea. "And you're being too hard on your students. They're terrified of you." From his window, he could watch the expanse of the Institute's field, where daily morning sessions took place.

"Try takin' 'em fer a run," Logan growled under his breath.

"Hmm...is that a challenge? Maybe I should," Erik chuckled as he saw Logan lead the girls away.

---

Later that night, Logan related his encounter with Erik to Ororo over supper, or rather, tea and coffee.

"I'm tellin' ya 'Ro, that's what he said," Logan looked up from his coffee mug. Rina sat beside him, contented with fiddling with her mug.

"I think the coffee could be getting to you. You shouldn't drink coffee at night," Ororo raised an eyebrow and set her tea down. "People can change Logan. Deep down inside, Erik has a good heart."

"It's more like I heard Charles tell me he lost his mind, literally," Logan half-laughed. Ororo eyed him sternly. He turned his attention to Rina, who was fidgeting restlessly in her seat. Ever since she joined the X-Men, she was practically trailing Logan all over the mansion.

_Well, they're two of a kind; who could blame her? Wolverines stick together,_ Ororo mused as she finished what was left of her tea. As she got up to rinse her mug, the two ferals rose and stretched. 

"We're goin' out fer a night prowl, see ya tomorrow 'Ro."

"Goodnight you two."

With that, they disappeared into the night.

---

Fresh from Spring Break, the students were gathered in the Danger Room for their first training session of the new term. There were talks of a new instructor joining the Institute.

After Logan and Ororo had gathered the students and got them to settle down, the professor made his announcement. "Good morning students. This morning's training session will begin shortly" -- this drew a groan from the entire student population -- "But first, I would like to introduce a new member of our teaching staff." From a corner, a silver-haired man stepped forward. A few of the older students gasped.

Xavier continued. "Some of you may recognize Mr Erik Lensherr as Magneto, but rest assured Mr Lensherr is a changed man. We must all learn to look past superficial façades and first impressions. Building trust is also another lesson to be learnt. Today, Mr Lensherr will be taking you in your training session. That is all."

Charles Xavier wheeled out of the Danger Room with Ororo while Logan made his way to the observation deck. Erik did a brief formal introduction of himself, and upon his requests, the students did a name call, though it was impossible to remember everyone in the room at first glance.

Logan watched from above as Erik floated a metal sphere towards him with ease and tossed it into the air, instructing Rahne, or technically this instant Wolfsbane, to catch it in midair. And effortlessly, Iceman created an ice slide with which Wolfsbane slid back down to safety. The students cheered. "They love 'im already," Logan laughed lightly to himself.

---

A car pulled up in front of the Institute's front gates. The driver reached out to the call box and pressed the call button.

"Please identity yourself and state your purpose of visit."

"Scott Summers. I have an interview with Professor Xavier regarding the position of an instructor."

"Welcome Mr Summers," with a loud click, the gates automatically unlocked itself and opened. Ever since the Mutant Registration Act, the Institute had heightened its security for the protection of its residents. Scott's two year absence had rendered his passcode invalid.

The mansion's outer appearance had not changed, even the slightest. The driveway and the fountain were familiar sights. He stopped his car at the porch as he no longer had the key to the garage. A wave of nostalgia hit him as he climbed the stairs into the mansion's foyer. But through the glass doors, he could see that changes to the interior had been carried out. Leaving his luggage in the trunk of his car, he carried with him only his briefcase and made his way to the reception desk in the foyer. Scott was formally greeted and had his identity cards checked before he was permitted to enter.

"Professor Xavier's office is the last door down the right hall," the lady smiled and gestured.

"I know, thanks," Scott returned her kind smile. At one subtle glance, he saw she had her inhibitor on her wrist. In the past two years at CUNY, he had observed a handful of people walking around with inhibitors, in accordance with the law. It was surprising to know that many mutants existed, even if most of them only exhibited delta and gamma level mutations. And sometimes the least expected people, even a professor.

Strolling down the hall, he saw a couple of students racing down the foyer stairs, just like Jean and him used to do at their age. Scott mused and unintentionally stared at them for a second. They stopped immediately to acknowledge their guest before the lady at the desk walked over to reprimand them.

Stopping in front of the professor's office, Scott knocked lightly on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again. 

"Scott, is that you?"

He turned to see a white-haired woman approach him with a handful of books and assignments.

"Ororo," Scott greeted her with enthusiasm.

"It's so good to see you again."

"Yeah, it's good to be home. Do you need help with those?"

"Oh, yes please," Ororo passed her books and papers to Scott before unlocking her office door. "Come on in."

He helped set her stuff down on her desk. "Do you know where the professor is?"

"Charles? He's class should've ended by now. Maybe he's running a little late."

"Nifty office you have here," Scott fiddled with the leaves of the plant on her filing cabinet.

"Believe it or not, Logan has one too," she laughed.

"That's new," Scott raised his eyebrow. "So do I get one too?"

"Charles had the room directly across the hall from mine cleared out for you."

"Great."

"It's the one next to Logan's," she grinned.

"I can live with that. So what do you teach?"

"Mostly History and some English."

"What about Logan?"

"Hmm...to be precise, he doesn't really teach, unless Driver's Ed counts. He oversees the Danger Room sessions. And he's our discipline master."

"That's kinda expected," Scott shared a laugh with Ororo.

That was when Charles Xavier peered into the open office. "Am I disturbing anything?"

"Professor," Scott turned and stood up.

"Charles. Scott was expecting you."

"If I was interrupting..."

"It's alright Professor, we were just talking." Scott straightened his jacket. "It was nice to see you again Ororo." He leaned forward to give his mentor a hug.

"You too, Scott." She returned his gesture. "I guess I'll see you later." She waved as Scott exited her office.

The professor's office was much bigger, Scott observed as he walked in and took a seat at desk as Xavier wheeled himself behind it.

"How have you been for the past two years?"

"Fine sir, though I was really looking forward to coming home." _And to a whole lot of other things as well._

"Welcome home Scott." Xavier smiled.

"Thank you sir."

"Do you mind if we got down to business first? There're just a few documents you need to go over..."

It took Scott a little longer than expected, but after that was over, he was officially and legally an accepted staff of the Xavier Institute for the Gifted.

"Wasn't Erik here before I left?"

"Why yes he was Scott. A year ago, he left to assume the position of headmaster of another school I opened in Massachusetts. It was a measure taken to accommodate the influx of young mutants. Robert, Amara and Rahne are helping Erik out."

Scott nodded. He had read about the Massachusetts branch of the Xavier Institute in the papers. He paused and swallowed before asking, "How is Jean, sir?"

Charles Xavier leaned back into his chair, steepled his fingers and sighed.

Scott folded his hands in his lap and looked out of the window. It was late autumn. The leaves had turned red and were falling.

"She hasn't changed when you left."

Scott nodded gravely and avoided the professor's glance. He continued to concentrate on the falling red leaves. They were distracting. There was a pain in his throat he couldn't swallow. He had thought they would be able to find a cure for Jean by the time he returned. That was the main reason why he had thrown himself into his studies fervently. Just to try to forget about all the issues which were troubling him. Maybe things will revert back to normal if he did not interfere. But apparently, nothing had changed. He burrowed deeper into his seat.

Charles Xavier could read the sorrow and frustration in Scott's eyes. He did appear so different without the ruby quartz. "I'm sorry Scott."

Scott turned away and tried to blink away the tears that threatened to form. "Can I...go see her?"

"Of course Scott. I'll notify Henry then walk you down to the subbasement."

"Thank you sir." His whisper was barely audible. Scott was fully immersed in his thoughts.

---

Scott and the professor made their way down to the subbasement in companionable silence. Hank met them in the main medbay.

"Scott, it's such a pleasure to see you again."

Hank was still as blue as Scott remembered as he accepted Hank's handshake. "You too Hank."

Hank could tell Scott was anxiously awaiting to see Jean. "We've shifted Jean to the ward at the end of the hallway. More peaceful."

"You'll have to excuse me gentlemen, but I have my next class to prepare for." The other two men nodded as Charles Xavier wheeled out of the main medbay.

"Come with me Scott. This way."

---

You know the drill, review!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Title: What Dreams May Come

Author: extrater2estrial

Pairing: S/J

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: Appreciation goes out to all who reviewed :)

Edited to add: Chapter 15 is missing, but there's nothing to worry about. I was just extremely uneasy where the story was heading (as I initially planned), so I'm just rewriting it. This chapter has been edited as well, towards the end. I'll also be on holiday for the next three weeks and away from my computer, with very limited internet access. Bear with me.  
  
---  
  
Chapter Fourteen

_The neighbourhood was deserted. As if on instinct, he automatically pulled up in front of a fine white two storey house. He walked inside. The house was empty, just like the rest of the houses in this neighbourhood, like a ghost town. He heard faint noises from upstairs. Someone was humming a melodious tune. It was a tune he had heard before; he had vague memories of it. He climbed the stairs silently, following the trail of the tune. It led to the door on the left at the end of the corridor. It was open, and he pushed._

_ "Hello?"_

_ There was a little girl sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, playing with her doll. She turned her head in his direction upon hearing his voice. "Hello," she returned nonchalantly. _

_ "Why are you here all alone little girl? Where are your parents? Where's everybody?"_

_ "They're gone. They're scared of me. They're scared of what I can do."_

_ "How long have you been here? How long have they gone?"_

_ "I don't know. I only know bad things happen when I leave this house." She looked away from his eyes and cradled her doll, rocking back and forth. "Bad things...bad things..." she mumbled incoherently._

_ He knelt down so their eyes were level. "What's your name?"_

_ "Jean." She had that eerie far-off look in her huge green eyes. She held up her doll. "This is Annie. What's your name?"_

_ "Scott." He put on his best smile._

_ She eyed him intently. Standing up and holding her doll close to her, she surveyed him from head to toe. She walked one circle around him, before proclaiming, "You're not Scott. Now go away and leave me alone!" Angrily, she sat herself back down in the middle of the room and ignored him._

_ He was bewildered. "Jean, don't you recognize me? It's Scott, your best friend."_

_ "No, he's skinnier, wears red glasses, and is only three inches taller than me. You're not him. Now go away!" She picked up the doll and stomped to a corner of the room._

_ He picked himself up and followed her. __"Jean?" He reached out to take her hand. "I'm here to help you."_

_ She flinched at his touch. "Lemme go!"_

_ "Jean, I'm just here to help."_

_ "NO!" Her eyes widened. She started screaming and kicking. "You're not taking me away! Lemme go!"_

_ "I just want to take you home."_

_ "No, you're one of them...you're going to take me away. They said you'd come for me. There was another who came..." She muttered nervously._

_ "Who, Jean? Look, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm taking you to some place safe where we can look after you."_

_ "No, they all say that! You're not taking me away!"_

_ "I'm not 'them' Jean, I'm Scott. I'll keep you safe." Slightly frustrated, he unintentionally grabbed both her wrists when she tried to wriggle out of his grasp._

_ "Scott'll come for me...he'll keep me safe...he'll not hurt me..." Breathlessly, her words escaped her mouth as a whisper. She was close to tears._

_ "That's right, I'm here..." He was about to draw her tiny form into his embrace when he felt her jerk away._

_ "You're hurting me!" She rubbed at her wrists. "You're trying to trick me!" Her brows furrowed and she stared intensely at him. Her green eyes began to flicker in reds and yellows and a glow consumed her body. He immediately dropped her hand as if he was holding on to a piece of hot iron._

_ She raised her arms, and commanded flames that engulfed the whole house and room._

_ "Jean! Jean, stop it!"_

_ "I...I can't...help me..."_

_ "Jean!"_

"Jean!" Scott opened his eyes. The room was dark and quiet. The night breezes stirred the curtains. He lay sprawled on his bed. The covers were in a lump at the foot of the bed. He sat up and rubbed his face. "It was just a dream...it was just a dream..."

He had not had this dream since he left Westchester two years ago. But barely two weeks after his return, the dreams returned. They were similar to the ones he had before. It was just something about the Institute and this dream.

_ Help me Scott, help me..._

Scott shook his head. He must be hearing things. He lay down on the bed and tried to go back to sleep. He had an early class tomorrow.  
  
---  
  
Scott was cranky the whole morning, running on little sleep and needing three cups of coffee to perk him up. And his class was the least bit interested in the math problem on the board.

"Can anyone give me the coordinates where the tangent meets..." Hearing distinct giggles, he halted abruptly. Jerking his head up and scanning the room, but everyone was quiet. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of red hair and laughter echoing down the hallway. In a trance-like state, he started walking towards the door.

_Help me..._

"Mr Summers? Are you okay?"

Scott shook his head and recollected his thoughts. "I'm fine Clarice, just distracted." Scott walked over to the board and started writing down the solution. He made a couple of obvious mistakes here and there and had to be pointed out to them by his students. But he was not in the mood to teach. His thoughts drifted to Jean. He was certain he was not hallucinating.  
  
---  
  
"Scott? Are you alright? You've been down here since lunch and you haven't eaten anything."

"I'm fine Hank." Scott stared absently at Jean's lifeless form, clasping her cold hand in his.

Hank walked over and put his hand, or rather paw, on Scott's shoulder.

"There has to be a way to bring her back, Hank."

"We've tried. I'm sorry Scott."

Scott remained silent.

"Call if you need anything. I'll be in the labs." With that, Hank left the room quietly.

Scott ran his fingers through her hair and brought her hand to the side of his face. "Do you know how much it pains me to see you like this? To live each day without you, your smile, your voice, your touch...I..." The tears were falling, but he did not care. "I know you're in there Jean. I know you can still hear me. Come back to me, I miss you Jean." He sniffled and wiped a tear from his cheek. He rubbed his thumb over hers. She was calling out to him in his dream. He just did not know how to reach her. There had to be a way. "I remember when I was lost and you found me. You were always there for me. I'm here for you now...come back..." He was crying freely now, something he was not previously able to do without his eyes closed.

Laying his head on her bed, Scott drifted in and out of sleep.

_Scott..._

His eyes flickered open. He was dazed and staring straight ahead into space. Suddenly, he felt her fingers tighten their grip on his hand ever so slightly before releasing and going limp again.

"Jean?" He lifted his head. He thought he felt some movement.

"Scott? What are you still doing down here at this hour?"

"Hank, you startled me," Scott turned abruptly. His watch read 2.38 am.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I can't...don't wanna sleep. Nightmares. Besides, I think Jean might need the company."

"Scott...you really could use some rest."

"It's just, every time I go to sleep, Jean starts appearing in my dreams, as a child. She's calling out to me to help her Hank. I think she's trapped inside, but I don't know how to get her out."

Hank had a slightly puzzled look etched onto his face.

"She's trapped in her own mind. I need to get in there and get her out."

"But the professor tried and...Scott, you're no telepath."

"It wouldn't hurt to try..."

"Scott, you need rest. You're getting delirious." It took Hank much persuasion to get Scott to head to bed.  
  
---  
  
The next morning, Charles Xavier received an unexpected knock on his office door. "Scott, what can I do for you?"

"I need your help to get me into Jean's mind and draw her out."

"Scott," he sighed, "I've tried, but she refused my help."

"That's why I need your help so I can enter her mind."

Xavier paused before he comprehended Scott. "You know that's not practical and it's dangerous."

"But I'm the only chance of ever getting her back. She came to me, she needs me."

"But how?"

"I hear her in my dreams. Sometimes, even during the day. I don't know."

Xavier steepled his fingers and pondered. "Of course, the residue of the telepathic bond you shared with Jean. She's trying to communicate with you through that rapport."  
  
---  
  
Charles Xavier found himself in the medbay once again, outside Jean's room.

"Charles, I don't think it's such a good idea." Hank stopped the professor in his tracks.

"I have my reservations, but if Scott is right, their bond might be our key to getting Jean back."

"I hope you're right. We wouldn't want to lose them both."

"I hope so too Henry." Xavier wheeled into Jean's room and closed the door behind him to ensure more privacy.

"Professor," Scott stood up to acknowledge Xavier's presence. The latter nodded and gestured for Scott to return to his chair.

"Scott, I want you to understand that what you are about to undertake is highly risky. And furthermore, you're not a telepath and have no experience with having your mind displaced onto the Astral Plane. If anything should go wrong, your psyche could be lost forever."

"I understand, Professor." Scott unfolded his hands in his lap. "So how do I go about doing...this?"

"I can help pull your mind onto the Astral Plane; think of it as a piggyback. But once you're in Jean's mind, you're on your own. I don't think it's a good idea to overwhelm her, though I'll be placing tabs on you so I can help you maintain connect with your physical body and you'll be able to find your own way back."

Scott nodded.

"Whenever you're ready, Scott. I just need you to relax."

As Xavier concentrated, Scott felt as if he was being pulled away from his body. He felt light, and floated upwards into a huge black void. No, he could see stars, like he was drifting in the universe. Then, there was a blinding flash of white as he felt himself being dragged into a 'hole', into which he fell, like Alice down the rabbit hole.

He came to land in the living room area of a house. A burning house. The exact same house he kept seeing in his dreams. Right now, the fire was raging.

_"Jean? Oh God, Jean!"_ Scott took to the stairs at a quick pace.

He heard screams from the room on the left down the hallway. Jean's room. _Hold on Jean, I'm coming._

She was curled in a ball in the middle of the empty room. Hair dishevelled and face scarred by tears. She grabbed her head with her hands, and was choking and bawling at the same time.

_"Jean?"_

_ "Go away! Leave me alone! You're not taking me away...you're not taking me away..."_

_ "Jean, it's me, Scott. Look at me Jean. No one's coming to take you away." _Scott approached her cautiously.

Slowly, her head rose. The sobs gradually stopped accompanied by ragged breathing and coughing. She looked up; her eyes were red and swollen.

_"Scott? Is that really you?"_ Her voice was a little shaky, and she eyed him intently.

Scott was half afraid she was not going to recognize his form and become enraged, like she had in all his dreams. But for an instant, he caught his reflection in the glass of the window. This time, his psyche took his child form, when he and Jean first met. He was lanky, with red shades that looked too big for him. He had to remind himself that this was Jean's mind, and it was how she perceived things to be.

_"Scott?"_ She burst into tears again. Scott leapt across the room to embrace her. She latched herself onto him in a death grip and cried into his shoulder.

_"Shh...Jean, it's okay..."_ He stroked her hair and attempted to comfort her.

_"Don't let them get me...don't...don't let go..."_

_ "I won't let anything bad happen to you. Just calm down. You need to stop all the fire and destruction."_

_ "I don't know how...the __Phoenix__ controls it...I don't know how to stop it..."_ Scott could sense that she started to panic.

_"Jean, calm down. Nobody is controlling it except you. The __Phoenix__, it's all in your mind. It's all in here,"_ he tapped gently at her right temple.

Jean held on tighter to Scott. _"I'm afraid...of them...the fire, it keeps them out..."_

_ "There's nothing to be afraid of Jean. I'm here, I'm taking you...take you someplace safe."_

_ "Just you and me?"_ Her voice was weak.

_"Yeah, just us,"_ He smiled back. Scott felt Jean's body slump back against his arms, almost as if she fainted. All around them, the flames died down, and the house was quiet and peaceful once again.

_ "Jean?"_ He shook her limp body in his arms. Her eyelids fluttered open. _"Jean?"_

_ "Scott?" _He nodded and smiled gratefully. _"I just feel so tired..."_

_ "C'mon, let's get you outta here,"_ he stood up slowly and helped her to her feet. Taking her by the hand, he led her down the stairs and outside. Then they vanished into the white light.  
  
---  
  
"Scott?"

"Huh?" Scott jerked awake in his seat. His hand was still gripping Jean's cold one.

"Welcome back, Scott."

"Jean?" She still lay motionless in the bed. "Professor, what's wrong with her? I thought I led her out, everything was going fine and..."

"Just calm down Scott..."

Just then, Scott felt Jean return the grip of his hand. She started tilting her head slightly from side to side and made small whimpering noises. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and blinked really hard. Taking in the sight of the somewhat unfamiliar surroundings, she asked, "Where am I?"

The professor was the first to speak. "You're in the medbay Jean. Welcome back."

She directed her gaze from the ceiling to the direction of the professor's voice. "Professor..." She felt someone else holding on to her hand. Jean turned to face him and let out a slight gasp. "Scott, is that you?"

"Yes. Jean," he held her hand tighter. She began to tear. Scott reached out with his other hand to wipe away the tears.

"You look..."

"Different? They...ah..." he bit his lip, trying to figure out how to rephrase his words, "invented a gadget that enables me to hold back my powers." Now he felt like crying as well.

"Scott, your eyes, they're so brown, so beautiful..."

He nodded. "You don't know how much I missed you..."

Xavier smiled softly and took his leave quietly. His work here was done, and he left the happy pair alone.

"How did it go Charles?" Hank met the professor in the hall.

"Jean's home Hank, she's finally come home to us." Both men had wide grins plastered on their faces. Then there was the rest of the mansion awaiting this piece of good news.  
  
---  
  
Jean could only tolerate being confined in the medbay for a day before she became anxious to be up and running. Hank had reluctantly agreed upon her insistent whining. She was assigned her old room back, mainly because her room had been specially designed with inbuilt psi-shielding and the professor wanted to reserve her room for exceptional cases. Since it was not occupied at the moment, she had priority. Also, she was not familiar with the layout of the new wing, although there is where most of the adult/staff quarters are. The original wing was mostly used for emergency housing and classrooms now.

In the morning, Jean would either be tagging along Scott for his classes, or down in the medbay for her scheduled checkups with Hank. After dinner, Scott would accompany her for a stroll through the gardens and out to the boat dock, just like they used to when they were kids. Before life had gotten so complicated.

Three days from her return, Jean began to notice something amiss. Wherever she turned, she saw students wearing tiny silver bands on the wrist, and everyone else seemed to own one that was identical.

She had asked Scott about it. He merely told her it was a special gadget that helped enable him to "switch off" his powers. Rogue just shrugged it off.

Then Kitty and Kurt came back to visit from college. They were naturally thrilled to see her up and running. And when Jean inquired about Kitty's inhibitor, Kitty spilled the beans that it was a law and compulsory under circumstances. Jean was shocked and taken aback. She had gone to seek the professor that afternoon.

"Professor?" Jean knocked on the heavy oak door of the professor's office.

"Please come in Jean." He gestured for Jean to take a seat by his table as he was putting away a file.

"Am I disturbing you, sir?" Jean watched intently as the professor made an attempt to organize his desk.

"No, not at all child. What was it you wanted to inquire?" He leaned forward a little.

"I have been observing," Jean paused, playing with her fingers in her lap. "Scott's been wearing this band around his wrist all the time. He says it helps keep his powers at bay. Rogue too. "

Xavier merely raised his eyebrow.

"Okay, at first I thought it was some special gadget you and Hank created to help the two of them. Then now, suddenly everyone appears to be wearing them." Jean looked up and at the professor. "Why didn't you tell me that the MRA has been passed?"

"Jean, I...we were going to..."

"I asked Kitty this morning." Jean turned her head to the side. "She said it was compulsory for all mutants to register. And you get an inhibitor and a number."

Xavier saw the defeated look on Jean's face. He had not meant for this to happen either. But his efforts at trying to overthrow this bill had proved futile.

"We were meaning to tell you when the time was right."

"And it's all my fault. None of this would have happened if not for me." Jean wrapped her arms around herself. She suddenly felt so cold.

"It's not your fault Jean. Things happen, and sometimes, there's nothing you or I can do to stop it." Xavier closed his eyes and tried not to think about the images that Apocalypse had flooded his mind with.

"I still feel really terrible about it..."

"Professor, you needed to see me?" Scott poked his head into the office. Both Jean and Xavier turned abruptly to face him. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were having a conversation with Jean. I'll come back later if you..."

"No, it's alright, I was about to leave anyway." Jean stood up briskly and headed for the door, keeping her head low to avoid Scott's glance. She did not want him to see that she was upset. "I'm going for a walk to clear my thoughts." She added as an afterthought.  
  
---  
  
Review!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

* * *

Title: What Dreams May Come 

Author: extrater2estrial

Pairing: S/J

Rating: PG-13 overall

Summary: Xavier had seen many futures through the mind of a mighty being, which path will this lead to?

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marvel and Warner Bros. I don't own them (though I wished I did).

Author's note: You might find most of this chapter familiar. That's because I've done a major editing with this chapter and the previous chapter. I do apologise for taking such a long break. Blame Marvel, they've put me in perpetual depression. Anyway, enjoy! :) 

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

It was a bright cheery morning that greeted Jean on the day she was scheduled to register. They had to make special arrangements because she was a high profile case. She even had to stand in a little trial, and that made her more nervous, adding to all the jitters she had already accumulated. Scott offered to be by her side just to hold her hand and provide her moral support. Furthermore, they had to go to Washington DC especially just for this.

The daily gathering of humans protesting against mutants (letting them still roam the streets freely) was already formed outside the 'Mutant Registration' building when the professor's Rolls Royce pulled up.

Scott looked out of the window at the angry protestors armed with signs and even a few with eggs and tomatoes, some of which already smashed onto the windscreen. He set his jaw and glared behind his shades. The glasses were not necessary, but Scott was not willing to take any chances. Beside him, Jean was staring blankly ahead and shivering slightly.

"Jean? Are you alright?" Scott took her hand in his and rubbed it gently.

"Their voices, their anger," she rubbed at her temples.

"Don't worry, they're not supposed to hurt us if we don't hurt them. I'll protect you."

Jean nodded silently, suppressing the _flaming_ anger that threatened to surface.

"Ororo, I would like you to wait here." Charles Xavier instructed firmly. "Scott?"

"I think Jean would like me to accompany her."

"Very well. Just remember, no powers under any circumstances."

"Yes sir."

Scott stepped out of the car to help the professor into his wheelchair and then Jean out of the car. The chants and curses got louder, but he tried his best to ignore it. Seeing that the men had worn their inhibitors, the crowd stepped aside to let them pass. That was until one of the protestors spotted Jean without an inhibitor and another threw a tomato at her, but missed and landed on Scott instead. Then another came flying in Jean's direction and instinctively she threw up a telekinetic shield and it was deflected to the pavement.

"Jean," Scott hissed through his clenched teeth.

"What? And just stand there and let them do that to you? Scott!"

"Jean, please." Scott held onto her arm and pushed her lightly forward, urging her to continue walking.

A man in a suit at the front of the crowd (appearing to be the leader of this demonstration) signalled a time-out to the crowd to stop the food throwing and the shouting. He managed a cold smile to the trio as they passed him.

"At least some people maintain to be civil," the professor made a passing remark. Scott wiped as much pulp off his soiled jacket as he could.

Entering the building, they had security check verify their identity cards against their inhibitors. Pietro and Wanda Maximoff of the special mutant task force under S.H.I.E.L.D. were present to escort Jean Grey whom the department had labelled as 'dangerous' into the court room. The twins were frequently called upon to deal with dangerous mutants due to Wanda's hexing ability and Pietro's speed. As they marched to the door of the court room, Pietro held Scott behind while Wanda led Jean and the professor inside.

"I'm sorry, but you're not permitted to enter, Mr Summers."

Scott threw Pietro a stern glare, but settled for a "Fine, I'll wait outside" instead.

As time passed (while the trial was ongoing), the two arch-enemies found themselves engaging in a little civil chit-chat. Times were different now. 

* * *

Scott jumped to his feet when the doors finally opened and out poured a stream of people. Scott spotted Jean with Wanda and wanted to call out to her. But the professor wheeled up to him instead.

"How did it go? Is Jean okay? Where're they taking her?" It came out as an anxious chain of questions.

"It went fairly well, better than I'd expected and could hope for." The professor's expression was grim. "They're taking her to the examination room to deal with her inhibitor."

"So everything's okay now?"

"We got the best end of the bargain, Scott. They actually petitioned to have her locked up and put away...the judge's sentence was a permanent inhibitor instead."

Scott just blinked.

"Would you mind if you waited here Scott? I owe a great thank you to the _judge_." The professor said, then turned and wheeled down the hall. 

* * *

"Your honour, Professor Charles Xavier is here to see you."

The judge, appearing to be a woman in her fifties, dismissed her secretary as she invited the professor in.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Xavier?"

"I would just like to say thank you for saving Jean, Raven."

She looked up from her papers. "Times are bad; I'm doing what I can to protect us, Charles."

Charles Xavier just smiled back. 

* * *

"Hey."

Jean jumped. "Scott, you startled me."

"Sorry."

She smiled, but it was sad. "It's okay. I've come to rely on my telepathy over my senses too much."

Scott walked over and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I've forgotten how beautiful the sunset is." She sighed gently.

"How do you feel Jean?"

"It's...quiet. It takes a little getting used to that's all, without the TP and the TK..." Jean trailed off and Scott held her closer and tighter. "I couldn't remember the last time my mind was peaceful. Keeping my own thoughts to myself, not being able to hear others...why couldn't they have just come up with this when I was ten?" She sniffed as her eyes began to water. Scott rubbed her shoulders. Jean pressed her head into the hollow of Scott's neck.

"Could you love a murderer Scott?" Jean asked after some silence had passed.

"Jean, if it's about that..."

"Scott."

"Yes."

"I don't want to hurt you, or anyone else."

"You're not going to. You have this." Scott pointed to her inhibitor.

"How do you know it works?" Jean looked up into his eyes.

"You know it does. Jean, we're all here to help you."

"But I'm not like you anymore," it came out harsher than Jean had intended it to be. "With this, I'm _normal_, I don't fit in anymore."

"You'll always be one of us Jean, no matter what."

"I...I don't know what to think anymore...I've killed people Scott, what if the Phoenix isn't just solely part of my powers?"

"I know you Jean. You wouldn't hurt any of us."

"Do you really know me Scott? I don't even know myself anymore..." A lone tear slid down the side of her face. The sea breeze stirred her hair. "Sometimes I wished I didn't have any of my powers, but now, I feel that a great part of me is missing. I'm so confused."

"You're more than just defined by your powers Jean."

"Easy for you to say."

"C'mon, it's getting cold. Let's go back inside. Dinner is waiting." 

* * *

It was an ordinary midsummer night when the pair embarked on their after dinner stroll through the gardens and along the lake shores.

"Here," Scott made a swiping gesture as they walked past the blossoming rose bushes and plucked a flower off its branch. "For you," he presented it to Jean with a smile.

"Scott, Ro will kill you," she exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Shh..." he put his finger to his lips and led her away with a hand on his back. Jean contemplated swatting Scott with the rose, but thought otherwise. The rose was too beautiful to spoil.

The waves washed ashore gently as the two of them walked barefooted in companionable silence, leaving a trail of footprints in the sand.

"So much has changed since I..."

"Yeah, it has," Scott replied as he kicked sand into the sea.

"The Institute has grown, all the new students, I don't think I can keep up..." Jean tucked a stray strand of hair that was blown into her eye behind her ear. Wrapping her arms around her, she looked up into the sky.

"So, you talked to the professor about going back to Columbia this fall?"

"He said he'd help me pull a few strings. I missed what...two years? I practically just disappeared," she dismissed with a lighthearted laughter.

Scott just nodded.

"I mean, you're out of school and teaching at the Institute, even Kurt is this close to graduating." Jean fingered the satin petals. Had it been that long? She looked up and into Scott's eyes. "How long have you been like that? Without the glasses?"

"About two years now. Just after they passed the MRA."

"Can you see...in colour now?"

"Well, sorta, I guess...Initially, due to the years of ruby quartz, my eyes still automatically filtered out all colour except red. Gradually, my retina started recognizing colour again...I mean there's still this slight red haze, but I can make out green from red...like your eyes," he reached out and brushed his thumb over her left temple at the level of her eye, "definitely a brilliant emerald green." He leaned in for a kiss, but as soon as his lips made contact with hers, Jean flinched and turned away.

"I'm sorry I..."

"It's okay," Jean turned her back towards Scott. She did not want him to see that her eyes were watering.

"Jean?" He spun her around gently and pushed away the hair that fell onto her face. "What's wrong? If it was about what happened just now..."

"No, it's not that, it's...I've a lot on my mind right now I..."

He pulled her into a hug as she started crying. "Shh...it's okay, everything is okay..." They stood there for awhile, bathed in the glow of the moonlight. 

* * *

__

_"Ted, get your hands off me! Get off me!" She felt him touching her all over._

_"Aww come on babe, don't you like it?" He bent down and kissed her deeply. Jean felt powerless to do anything; she was completely drained of her strength and retaliation was futile. She started to cry as Ted climbed on top of her and proceeded to rape her._

_"Stop it! Please!"_

"Stop it..." Jean murmured in her sleep.

_"Stop it!" Suddenly, she felt a surge of anger. Those familiar flames returned to her eyes and she found the strength to hurl Ted off her. Just then, Ted's appearance morphed into that of Scott's before he was abruptly flung out of the car, crashing through the windscreen and flying across the car park, engulfed in flames._

_"No! Scott! Oh no...what have I done..."_

She shuddered at the thought of her dream; she was probably still reacting negatively to intimate touches due to her encounter with Ted which almost resulted her in getting raped, if not for the Phoenix...the Phoenix...what if she did not have the inhibitor and Scott ended up like Ted? Jean could not bring herself to think of such an outcome.

She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and rocking back and forth. She had potentially hurt a lot of people, and she could do very well do it again. But she could not risk hurting everyone in the Institute, not the ones she loved dearly. "Why me?" She sobbed softly, head buried in her knees. 

* * *

Scott tossed and turned in his bed. He was still wide awake at past two in the morning. The events of his evening stroll with Jean kept playing in his mind. Scott wondered how Jean was coping, the Phoenix fiasco that had nearly ruined her life and put her in a coma, and then waking up to find your whole world turned upside down, living with those memories haunting her and being denied the use of her powers that have become second nature. Jean was taking baby steps on the road to recovery, but he could tell that she was still shaken from the blow life dealt her. Scott wished there was more that he could do for her; the most he could do was hold her hand through this and let time heal the wounds.

He sat up and stretched, wide awake and restless. Rising and exiting his room, Scott found himself walking in the direction of Jean's old bedroom in the old wing of the mansion. Something inside of him just wanted to be Jean right now, even if to watch her sleep and to be there by her side when she woke up. Slowly but surely, they'll work at repairing their relationship.

Scott padded through the quiet carpeted corridors. Approaching Jean's room, he could hear soft cries coming from within. He opened her door and peered into the darkness. The faint light from the corridor fell upon her huddled figure on the bed. "Jean? Jean, is everything alright?"

Jean lifted her head, the mess of her hair falling all over her face. Sniffling, she squinted to see who had come knocking on her door. "Sc...Scott?" He stood there for awhile before taking quick strides toward her. "Scott, don't...stop, don't come closer...I don't want to hurt you...don't want to hurt you..." Jean wrapped her arms and covers over her knees, inching away from Scott.

"It's okay Jean. Nothing bad is going to happen. You're not going to hurt me." Scott wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She flinched slightly upon first contact then sank into his embrace as he rubbed the sides of her arms up and down in a soothing manner. "It's okay. You probably just had a bad dream." Scott held her close in a gentle hug, taking care to leave her breathing room.

"I...I dreamt that...you were in place of Ted. I killed you like I did him. I didn't want to...it just happened...I couldn't stop myself..." Jean felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. Scott rubbed a thumb over each one that fell.

"I trust you Jean, you're not going to hurt me." He drew her closer and kissed her on the top of her head. "You'd never hurt anyone."

"But I did kill him!" Jean pulled away. "And others as well. They didn't have to die, but they did, because of me!"

"You were only trying to protect yourself. They hurt you; you were merely trying to fight back." Scott reached out towards her again.

"I didn't want to kill them, yet I did..."

"You didn't kill them, the Phoenix did..."

"But the Phoenix was me! There's so much guilt...and what if I became Phoenix again and hurt more people and --"

"I thought the Phoenix was taken care of, Jean --"

"-- especially the ones I love --"

"-- Jean, that _thing_ is not going to bother you ever again."

"But somehow, I still feel her at the back of my head...maybe it's better off if I was dead!"

"Don't say that Jean! I wasn't better off when I lost you…I'm not losing you ever again." Scott held onto Jean tighter.

"Do you think, you could stay for while..." Jean let out a soft yawn. Exhaustion was getting to her.

"I thought you said you didn't want me to stay --" he caught the glare in her eyes. "Just joking...I'll stay the whole night if you want me to." Scott rubbed the back of his neck. He helped Jean settle back into bed, pulled the covers over her and dragged a chair to her bedside. Jean then sat up abruptly and pushed the covers away. Scooting to the other side of the bed, she patted the empty spot beside her invitingly. "Just like old times? I really missed having something warm to snuggle against."

"You sure...uh...this bed is big enough for the both of us?" He sat down on that spot and slipped his feet under the covers.

"Hmm..." was the only answer he got from Jean, who appeared to be almost fast asleep, her head against his thigh. He shifted into a comfortable position with his arm around her, and began to drift to sleep soon after. 

* * *

When Scott cracked his eyelids open, it was already morning. Jean was still soundly asleep, back against his chest, nestled in his arms. A lazy and contented grin spread across his face. He dared not move a muscle lest he break Jean's peaceful slumber. With his free hand, he absently toyed with the end curls of her hair, inhaling the rich scent of her shampoo. If he could wake up to this every morning, he would be a very happy man.

"Mmm...that tickles..." Jean began to stir gently, rolling over to turn and face him. Her eyelids fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was the browns of his eyes.

"Mornin'," he breathed, still tugging on a lock of her hair.

"Mornin'," she beamed and shimmied her body closer until their feet touched. Jean pulled the covers up to her chest, and nuzzled against the cradle of his shoulder. Her red hair fanned out on her pillow.

"Had a good night's sleep?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, you were always good at chasing the monsters away." Their feet were now engaging in a very interesting game of footsie. "The bad feelings are mostly gone. I feel much better now."

"I'm glad to hear that." Scott leaned in to rub the tip of his nose against Jean's in an Eskimo kiss.

Jean started giggling, and Scott propped himself up on an elbow to gain more leverage as he rubbed his nose harder against hers. Jean's hands suddenly found their way along his shoulders, up his back to the nape of his neck. He leaned in for a kiss on her lips, one that she returned with passion and hunger, combing her fingers through his tousled hair.


End file.
